Statistical information Guyana 1998

Guyana in the World
top of pageBackground: Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966 and became a republic in 1970. In 1989 Guyana launched an Economic Recovery Program which marked a dramatic reversal from a state-controlled socialist economy towards a more open free market system. Results through the first decade have proven encouraging.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 214,970 km²
Land: 196,850 km²
Water: 18,120 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho
Land boundariesTotal: 2,462 km
Border countries: (3) Brazil 1,119 km;
, Suriname 600 km;
, Venezuela 743 kmCoastline: 459 km
Maritime claimsContinental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)
Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m
Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Land useArable land: 2%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 6%
Forests and woodland: 84%
Other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,300 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
Geographytop of pagePopulation: 707,954 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: -0.47% (1998 est.)
NationalityNoun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Guyanese
Ethnic groups: East Indian 49%, black 32%, mixed 12%, Amerindian 6%, white and Chinese 1%
Languages: English, Amerindian dialects
Religions: Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 31% (male 112,339; female 108,095)
15-64 years: 64% (male 228,719; female 226,309)
65 years and over: 5% (male 14,652; female 17,840) (July 1998 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: -0.47% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 18.49 births/1000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 8.72 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -14.45 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 48.67 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 62.34 years
Male: 59.5 years
Female: 65.32 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.12 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
Total population: 98.1%
Male: 98.6%
Female: 97.5% (1995 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
Conventional short form: Guyana
Former: British Guiana
Government type: republic
Capital: Georgetown
Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo
Dependent areasIndependence: 26 May 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Constitution: 6 October 1980
Legal system: based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: Executive President Janet JAGAN (since December 1997); replaced Samuel HINDS: ead of
Government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since December 1997)
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature
Elections: president elected by the majority party in the National Assembly after legislative elections which must be held within five years; legislative elections last held 15 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (65 seats, 53 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held on 15 December 1997 (next to be held by March 2003)
Election results: percent of vote by party_PPP 54%, PNC 41%, AFG 1%, TUF 1%; seats by party_PPP 36, PNC 25, AFG 2, TUF 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL
In the us chancery: 2,490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 265-6,900, 6,901
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MACK
From the us embassy: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 10,507, Georgetown
From the us telephone: [592] (2) 54,900 through 54,909, 57,960 through 57,969
From the us fax: [592] (2) 58,497
Flag description
: green with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow white border between the yellow and the green
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: In 1997, Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, posted its sixth straight year of economic growth of 5% or better, with the advance led by gold and bauxite mining and by sugar growing. Favorable growth factors have included expansion in the key agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiative, a more realistic exchange rate, a moderate inflation rate, and the continued support of international organizations. Serious underlying economic problems will continue. Electric power has been in short supply and constitutes a major barrier to future gains in national output. The government must persist in efforts to manage its sizable external debt and extend its privatization program.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 5% (1997 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $2,500 (1997 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 39%
Industry: 28%
Services: 33% (1995 est.)
Agriculture products: sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; development potential exists for fishing and forestry
Industries: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp), textiles, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate: 5.6% (1994 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: 12% (1992 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $278 million
Expenditures: $299 million, including capital expenditures of $133 million (1996 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: total value:$546 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodoties: sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses
Partners: Canada 33%, US 24%, UK 22% (1994 est.)
Imports: total value:$589 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
Commodoties: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
Partners: US 29%, Trinidad and Tobago 17%, Netherlands Antilles 17%, UK 11%, (1994 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $1.5 billion (1996 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1_144.2 (January 1998), 142.4 (1997), 140.4 (1996), 142.0 (1995), 138.3 (1994), 126.7 (1993)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 114,000 kW (1995)
Production: 230 million kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 339 kWh (1995)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 33,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: fair system for long-distance calling
Domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
International: tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station_1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $7 million (1994)
Percent of gdp: 1.7% (1994)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 50 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 5
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 45
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 34 (1997 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysTotal: 88 km
Standard gauge: 40 km 1.435-m gauge (dedicated to ore transport)
Narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge (dedicated to ore transport)
RoadwaysWaterways: 6,000 km total of navigable waterways; Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively
Merchant marine: total:2 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,340 GRT/4,530 DWT (1997 est.)
Ports and terminalsGuyana - Transnational issues 1998
top of pageDisputes international: all of the area west of the Essequibo River claimed by Venezuela; Suriname claims area between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Kutari [Koetari] Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne)
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics from South America_primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis