Map of Guyana | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background:


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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: South America

Area
Total: 214,969 km²
Land: 196,849 km²
Water: 18,120 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho; almost twice the size of Tennessee
Country comparison total: 2,933 km
Country comparison border countries: (3) Brazil 1,308 km; Suriname 836 km; Venezuela 789 km

Land boundaries
Total: 2,933 km
Border countries: (3) Brazil 1,308 km; Suriname 836 km; Venezuela 789 km

Coastline: 459 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
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
Highest point: Laberintos del Norte on Mount Roraima 2,775 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 207 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Land use
Agricultural land: 8.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 2.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 6.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 77.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 14.2% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,430 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²: Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 km²), Orinoco (953,675 km²)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 60 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 1.36 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 271 billion m³ (2020 est.)

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; contains some of the largest unspoiled rainforests on the continent


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Population
Distribution: population is heavily concentrated in the northeast in and around Georgetown, with notable concentrations along the Berbice River to the east; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated
Total: 794,099
Male: 405,244
Female: 388,855 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.32% (2024 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Guyanese

Ethnic groups: East Indian 39.8%, African descent 29.3%, mixed 19.9%, Indigenous 10.5%, other 0.5% (includes Portuguese, Chinese, White) (2012 est.)

Languages: English (official), Guyanese Creole, Amerindian languages (including Caribbean and Arawak languages), Indian languages (including Caribbean Hindustani, a dialect of Hindi), Chinese (2014 est.)

Religions: Protestant 34.8% (Pentecostal 22.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Anglican 5.2%, Methodist 1.4%), Hindu 24.8%, other Christian 20.8%, Roman Catholic 7.1%, Muslim 6.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 0.5%, other 0.9%, none 3.1% (2012 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 23.5% (male 95,223/female 91,272)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 281,669/female 261,261)
65 years and over: 8.1% (2024 est.) (male 28,352/female 36,322)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 53.6
Youth dependency ratio: 44.1
Elderly dependency ratio: 9.5
Potential support ratio: 10.6 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 28.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 28.2 years
Female: 28.4 years

Population growth rate: 0.32% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 16.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: population is heavily concentrated in the northeast in and around Georgetown, with notable concentrations along the Berbice River to the east; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated

Urbanization
Urban population: 27.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 110,000 GEORGETOWN (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 11.11 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 2.38 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 1.81 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 20.8 years (2009 est.)
Note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29

Maternal mortality ratio: 112 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 21.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 23.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 18.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 70.6 years
Female: 74.3 years

Total fertility rate: 2.05 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 29.9% (2019/20)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Unimproved rural: 4.4% of population
Unimproved total: 3.2% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 0% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 1.7 beds/1,000 population (2016)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 97.8% of population
Improved rural: 95.4% of population
Improved total: 96% of population
Unimproved urban: 2.2% of population
Unimproved rural: 4.6% of population
Unimproved total: 4% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 20.2% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 5.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 2.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 2.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 12.1% (2020 est.)
Male: 21.7% (2020 est.)
Female: 2.4% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 9.4% (2019)

Education expenditures: 4.5% of GDP (2018 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
Total population: 88.8%
Male: 89.3%
Female: 88.4% (2021)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 12 years (2012)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 25.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 21.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 32.4% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana
Conventional short form: Guyana
Former: British Guiana
Etymology: the name is derived from Guiana, the original name for the region that included British Guiana, Dutch Guiana, and French Guiana; ultimately the word is derived from an indigenous Amerindian language and means 'Land of Many Waters' (referring to the area's multitude of rivers and streams)

Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital
Name: Georgetown
Geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 09 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: when the British took possession of the town from the Dutch in 1812, they renamed it Georgetown in honor of King GEORGE III (1738-1820)

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
History: several previous; latest promulgated 6 October 1980
Amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, such as national sovereignty, government structure and powers, and constitutional amendment procedures, requires approval by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum, and assent of the president; other amendments only require Assembly approval; amended many times, last in 2016

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
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descent only: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: na

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Mohammed Irfaan ALI (since 2 August 2020)
Head of government: President Mohammed Irfaan ALI (since 2 August 2020)
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
Elections/appointments: the predesignated candidate of the winning party in the last National Assembly election becomes president for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 2 March 2020 (next to be held in 2025); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: 2020: Mohammed Irfaan ALI (PPP/C) designated president by the majority party in the National Assembly; 2015: David GRANGER (APNU-AFC) designated president by the majority party in the National Assembly
Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly (70 seats; 40 members directly elected in single-seat, nationwide constituencies, 25 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies -- all by closed-list proportional representation vote, 2 non-elected ministers, 2 non-elected parliamentary secretaries, and the speaker; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: last held on 2 March 2020 (next to be held in 2025)
Elections results: percent of vote by party - PPP/C 50.69%, APNU-AFC 47.34%, LJP 0.58%, ANUG 0.5%, TNM 0.05%, other 0.84%; seats by party - PPP/C 33, APNU-AFC 31, LJP-ANUG-TNM 1; composition - men 43, women 28, percentage women 39.4%
Note: the initial results were declared invalid and a partial recount was conducted from 6 May to 8 June 2020, in which PPP/C was declared the winner

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of Judicature (consists of the Court of Appeal with a chief justice and 3 justices, and the High Court with a chief justice and 10 justices organized into 3- or 5-judge panels)
Note: in 2009, Guyana acceded to the Caribbean Court of Justice as the final court of appeal in civil and criminal cases, replacing that of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
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: A New and United Guyana or ANUG, A Partnership for National Unity or APNU, Alliance for Change or AFC, Justice for All Party, Liberty and Justice Party or LJP, National Independent Party or NIP, People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C, The New Movement or TNM, The United Force or TUF, United Republican Party or URP

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel Archibald HINDS (since 7 July 2021)
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 email address and website: guyanaembassydc@verizon.net; [link]
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Nicole THERIOT (since 14 October 2023)
From the us embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
From the us mailing address: 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
From the us email address and website: acsgeorge@state.gov; [link]

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; also referred to by its nickname The Golden Arrowhead

National symbols: Canje pheasant (hoatzin), jaguar, Victoria Regia water lily; national colors: red, yellow, green, black, white

National anthem
Name: 'Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains'
Lyrics/music: Archibald Leonard LUKERL/Robert Cyril Gladstone POTTER
Note: adopted 1966

National heritage


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Economy overview: small, hydrocarbon-driven South American export economy; major forest coverage being leveraged in carbon credit offsets to encourage preservation; strengthening financial sector; large bauxite and gold resources

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $40.539 billion (2023 est.); $30.476 billion (2022 est.); $18.647 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 33.02% (2023 est.); 63.44% (2022 est.); 20.01% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $49,800 (2023 est.); $37,700 (2022 est.); $23,200 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 71.1% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 18.2% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 25.4% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 47.8% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -63% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 10% (2022 est.)
Industry: 67.8% (2022 est.)
Services: 19.3% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: sugarcane, rice, plantains, papayas, cassava, pumpkins/squash, chicken, milk, eggplants, ginger (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate: 98.53% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 295,000 (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 12.43% (2023 est.); 12.42% (2022 est.); 14.93% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 25.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 21.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 32.4% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $1.333 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $1.467 billion (2019 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 28.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt: 52.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

Revenue
From forest resources: 4.56% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.82% (2023 est.); 6.12% (2022 est.); 5.03% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: -$254.121 million (2022 est.); -$2.503 billion (2021 est.); -$396.533 million (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $11.536 billion (2022 est.); $4.64 billion (2021 est.); $2.799 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Panama 32%, Netherlands 15%, US 13%, UAE 6%, Italy 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: crude petroleum, gold, rice, aluminum ore, liquor (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $7.067 billion (2022 est.); $6.611 billion (2021 est.); $3.756 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: US 28%, China 14%, Brazil 7%, Trinidad and Tobago 7%, Suriname 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, valves, iron pipes, construction vehicles, cars (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $895.275 million (2023 est.); $917.877 million (2022 est.); $790.785 million (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external: $1.631 billion (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 93% (2022 est.)
Access electrification urban areas: 98%
Access electrification rural areas: 91.6%
Installed generating capacity: 385,000 kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 904.608 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 233.463 million kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 98.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Imports: (2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 391,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 16,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Consumption: 3.981 million m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 3.981 million m³ (2022 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 2.499 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 2.491 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 8,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 42.797 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 125,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 856,000 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.); 1% of GDP (2021 est.); 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.); 1.3% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) is a unified force with ground, air, and coast guard components, as well as the Guyana National Reserve (2024)
Note: the Guyana Police Force under the Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for internal security

Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age or older for voluntary military service; no conscription (2024)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 8R

Airports: 51 (2024)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 3,995 km
Paved: 799 km
Unpaved: 3,196 km (2019)

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

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 21,676 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or received alternative legal stay) (2023)

Illicit drugs: a transit country for cocaine destined for the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, and West Africa; growing domestic marijuana cultivation and consumption