Map of Guyana | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. The resulting ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966 and since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992 Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is considered the country's first free and fair election since independence. After his death five years later his wife Janet JAGAN became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor Bharrat JAGDEO was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006. Donald RAMOTAR was elected president in 2011.


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Location: Northern South America bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Suriname and Venezuela

Geographic coordinates: 5 00 N 59 00 W

Map reference

Area
Rank: 85
Land: 196,849 km²
Water: 18,120 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho

Land boundaries
Border countries: (3) Brazil 1606 km; Suriname 600 km; Venezuela 743 km

Coastline: 459 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin

Climate: tropical; hot humid moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August November to January)

Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Elevation
Extremes highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Natural resources: bauxite gold diamonds hardwood timber shrimp fish

Land use
Permanent crops: 0.13%
Other: 97.92% (2011)

Irrigated land: 1501 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 241 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: flash flood threat during rainy seasons

Geography
Note: the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively


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Population: 739,903 (July 2013 est.)
Rank: 165
Growth rate: -0.21% (2013 est.)
Growth rate rank: 214
Below poverty line: 35% (2006)

Nationality
Adjective: Guyanese

Ethnic groups: East Indian 43.5% black (African) 30.2% mixed 16.7% Amerindian 9.1% other 0.5% (2002 census)

Languages: English Amerindian dialects Creole Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi) Urdu

Religions: Protestant 30.5% (Pentecostal 16.9% Anglican 6.9% Seventh-Day Adventist 5% Methodist 1.7%) Hindu 28.4% Roman Catholic 8.1% Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1% Muslim 7.2% other Christian 17.7% other 4.3% none 4.3% (2002 census)

Demographic profile:

Age structure
15-24 years: 20.7% (male 78,798/female 74,202)
25-54 years: 36.9% (male 138,167/female 134,695)
55-64 years: 7.2% (male 22,772/female 30,358)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 15,276/female 22,268) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 59.6 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.7 %
Potential support ratio: 17.7 (2013)

Median age
Male: 23.7 years
Female: 25.3 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.21% (2013 est.)
Rank: 214

Birth rate: 16.31 births/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 123

Death rate: 7.18 deaths/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 127

Net migration rate: -11.21 migrant(s)/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 214

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: GEORGETOWN (capital) 132,000 (2009)

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.75 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 20.8

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 66
Male: 38.59 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 30.09 deaths/1000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 162
Male: 63.83 years
Female: 71.72 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.21 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Rank: 101

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 42.5% (2009)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.21 physicians/1000 population (2010)

Hospital bed density: 2 beds/1000 population (2009)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.2% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 40
People living with hivaids: 5,900 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 117
Deaths: fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 92

Major infectious diseases
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2013)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 17.2% (2008)
Rank: 113

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 11.1% (2009)
Rank: 66

Education expenditures: 3.6% of GDP (2011)
Rank: 123

Literacy
Total population: 91.8%
Male: 92%
Female: 91.6% (2002 Census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 10 years
Female: 11 years (2011)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional short form: Guyana
Former: British Guiana

Government type: republic

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 6 48 N 58 09 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

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 areas

Independence: 26 May 1966 (from the UK)

National holiday: Republic Day 23 February (1970)

Constitution: several previous; latest promulgated 6 October 1980; amended many times last in 2007 (2013)

Legal system: common law system based on the English model with some Roman-Dutch civil law influence

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since October 1992 except for a period as chief of state after the death of President Cheddi JAGAN on 6 March 1997)
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president responsible to the legislature
Elections: president elected by popular vote as leader of a party list in parliamentary elections which must be held at least every five years (no term limits); elections last held on 28 November 2011 (next to be called by December 2016); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: Donald RAMOTAR elected president percent of vote 48.6%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (65 seats; members elected by popular vote also not more than 4 non-elected non-voting ministers and 2 non-elected non-voting parliamentary secretaries appointed by the president; members to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held on 28 November 2011 (next to be held by November 2016)
Election results: percent of vote by party - PPP/C 48.6% APNU 40% AFC 10.3% other 1.1%; seats by party - PPP/C 32 APNU 26 AFC 7

Judicial branch: note - in 2009 Guyana ceased final appeals in civil and criminal cases to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) replacing it with the Caribbean Court of Justice the judicial organ of the Caribbean Community
Judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and High Court chief justices appointed by the president; other judges of both courts appointed by the Judicial Service Commission a body appointed by the president; judges appointed for life with retirement at age 65
Subordinate courts: Land Court; magistrates' courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP AOSIS C Caricom CD CDB CELAC FAO G-77 IADB IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM ISO (correspondent) ITU LAES MIGA NAM OAS OIC OPANAL OPCW PCA Petrocaribe UN UNASUR UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chancery: 2,490 Tracy Place NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 265-6,900
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297
In the us consulate general: New York
From the us embassy: US Embassy 100 Young and Duke Streets Kingston Georgetown
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 10,507 Georgetown; US Embassy 3,170 Georgetown Place Washington DC 20,521-3,170
From the us telephone: [592] 225-4,900 through 4,909
From the us FAX: [592] 225-8,497

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; green represents forest and foliage; yellow stands for mineral resources and a bright future; white symbolizes Guyana's rivers; red signifies zeal and the sacrifice of the people; black indicates perseverance

National symbols: Canje pheasant (hoatzin); jaguar

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Archibald Leonard LUKERL/Robert Cyril Gladstone POTTER

National heritage


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Economy overview: The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in recent years and is based largely on agriculture and extractive industries. The economy is heavily dependent upon the export of six commodities - sugar gold bauxite shrimp timber and rice - which represent nearly 60% of the country's GDP and are highly susceptible to adverse weather conditions and fluctuations in commodity prices. Guyana's entrance into the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) in January 2006 has broadened the country''s export market primarily in the raw materials sector. Guyana has experienced positive growth almost every year over the past decade. Inflation has been kept under control. Recent years have seen the government''s stock of debt reduced significantly - with external debt now less than half of what it was in the early 1990s. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure. Despite recent improvements the government is still juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. In March 2007 the Inter-American Development Bank Guyana''s principal donor canceled Guyana''s nearly $470 million debt equivalent to 21% of GDP which along with other Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) debt forgiveness brought the debt-to-GDP ratio down from 183% in 2006 to 120% in 2007. Guyana became heavily indebted as a result of the inward-looking state-led development model pursued in the 1970s and 1980s. Growth slowed in 2009 as a result of the world recession but picked up in 2010-11 before slowing again in 2012 as a result of a second recession this focused mainly in Europe. The slowdown in the domestic economy and lower import costs has helped to narrow the country''s current account deficit despite generally lower earnings from exports.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 163

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 75

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 132

Gross national saving:
Rank: 134

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 15.8%
Investment in fixed capital: 22.2%
Investment in inventories: -5.9%
Exports of goods and services: 60.2%
Imports of goods and services: -76.5%: (2012 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 35.5%
Services: 43.4% (2012 est.)

Agriculture products: sugarcane rice edible oils; beef pork poultry; shrimp fish

Industries: bauxite sugar rice milling timber textiles gold mining

Industrial production growth rate: 14.8% (2012 est.)
Rank: 3

Labor force: 313,100 (2009 est.)
Rank: 164
By occupation industry: NA%
By occupation services: NA%

Unemployment rate: 11% (2007)
Rank: 117

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 35% (2006)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 33.8% (1999)

Distribution of family income gini index: 43.2 (1999)
Rank: 44

Budget
Expenditures: $838.5 million (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -5% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 169

Taxes and other revenues: 25.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 126

Public debt: 65.2% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 44

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5% (2011 est.)
Rank: 61

Central bank discount rate: 4.25% (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 89

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 14.45% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 50

Stock of narrow money: $477.4 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 157

Stock of broad money: $1.499 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 154

Stock of domestic credit: $1.122 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 147

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 111

Current account balance: $-372.3 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 99

Exports: $1.129 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 147
Commodities: sugar gold bauxite alumina rice shrimp molasses rum timber
Partners: US 30.8% Canada 28.9% UK 6.2% (2012)

Imports: $1.771 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 164
Commodities: manufactures machinery petroleum food
Partners: US 22.2% Trinidad and Tobago 21.9% China 12.3% Cuba 6.1% Suriname 4% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $801.8 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 137

Debt external: $1.846 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 144

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 700 million kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 155
Consumption: 512 million kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 169
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 206
Imports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 197
Installed generating capacity: 362,500 kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 146
Generation sources fossil fuels: 96% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 66
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 101
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 145
Generation sources other renewable sources: 3.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 50

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 178
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 124
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 197
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 140

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 185
Products consumption: 10,910 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 151
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 182
Products imports: 10,780 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 128

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 141
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 153
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 114
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 203
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 es)
Proven reserves rank: 147

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 1.673 million Mt (2011 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 152

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 154,200 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 136
Mobile cellular: 547,000 (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 167

Telephone system
Domestic: fixed-line teledensity is about 20 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity about 70 per 100 persons in 2011
International: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011)

Broadcast media: government-dominated broadcast media; the National Communications Network (NCN) TV is state-owned; a few private TV stations relay satellite services; the state owns and operates 2 radio stations broadcasting on multiple frequencies capable of reaching the entire country; government limits on licensing of new private radio stations continue to constrain competition in broadcast media (2007)

Internet
Country code: .gy
Hosts: 24,936 (2012)
Hosts rank: 112
Users: 189,600 (2009)
Users rank: 142

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.9% of GDP (2011)
Rank: 73

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age or younger for voluntary military service; no conscription (2013)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 117 (2013)
Rank: 50
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 8 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 16
With unpaved runways: 89 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Rank: 141
Paved: 590 km
Unpaved: 7,380 km (2000)

Waterways: 330 km (the Berbice Demerara and Essequibo rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km 100 km and 80 km respectively) (2012)
Rank: 92

Merchant marine
Rank: 114
By type: cargo 7 petroleum tanker 2 refrigerated cargo 1
Registered in other countries: 3 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2 unknown 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: all of the area west of the Essequibo River is claimed by Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks arbitration under provisions of the UNCLOS to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis; rising money laundering related to drug trafficking and human smuggling