Background: 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.

Map reference: South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total: 214,970 km²
Land: 196,850 km²

Land boundaries:

Coastline: 459 km
Continental shelf: 200 nm or the outer edge of 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

Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Arable land: 3%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 6%
Forest and woodland: 83%
Other: 8%

Irrigated land: 1,300 km² (1989 est.)

Population: 734,640 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: -0.68% (1993 est.)

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

Ethnic groups:

Languages: English, Amerindian dialects

Religions: Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1%

Population growth rate: -0.68% (1993 est.)

Birth rate: 20.47 births/1000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate: 7.39 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)

Net migration rate: -19.89 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)

Environment
Current issues: flash floods a constant threat during rainy seasons; water pollution

Infant mortality rate: 49.3 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 64.7 years
Male: 61.46 years
Female: 68.1 years (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.35 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Literacy: age 15 and over having ever attended scool (1990)
Total population: 95%
Male: 98%

Country name
Conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
Conventional short form: Guyana
Former: British Guiana

Government type: republic

Capital: Georgetown

Administrative divisions:

Independence: 26 May 1966 (from UK)

National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution: 6 October 1980

Legal system:

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: executive president, first vice president, prime minister, first deputy prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature

International organization participation:

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Odeen ISHMAEL
In the us chancery: 2,490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: (202) 265-6,900
In the us consulate general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador George Jones
From the us embassy: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Georgetown
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 10,507, Georgetown
From the us telephone: 592 (2) 54,900 through 54,909 and 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

Economy overview: Guyana is one of the world's poorest countries with a per capita income less than one-fifth the South American average. After growing on average at less than 1% a year in 1986-87, GDP dropped by 5% a year in 1988-90. The decline resulted from bad weather, labor trouble in the cane fields, and flooding and equipment problems in the bauxite industry. Consumer prices rose about 100% in 1989 and 75% in 1990, and the current account deficit widened substantially as sugar and bauxite exports fell. Moreover, international financial agencies, seeks to reduce its payment arrears and to raise new funds. The government's stabilization program - aimed at establishing realistic exchange rates, reasonable price stability, and a resumption of growth - requires considerable public administrative abilities and continued patience by consumers during a long incubation period. Buoyed by a recovery in mining and agriculture, the economy posted 6% growth in 1991 and 7% growth in 1992, according to official figures. A large volume of illegal and quasi-legal economic activity is not captured in estimates of the country's total output.

Real gdp growth rate: 7% (1992 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $370 (1992 est.)

Agriculture products: most important sector, accounting for 25% of GDP and about half of exports; sugar and rice are key crops; development potential exists for fishing and forestry; not self-sufficient in food, especially wheat, vegetable oils, and animal products

Industries: bauxite mining, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp), textiles, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 12% (1990 est.), accounts for about 24% of GDP

Labor force: 268,000
By occupation industry and commerce: 44.5%
By occupation agriculture: 33.8%
By occupation services: 21.7%
Note: public-sector employment amounts to 60-80% of the total labor force (1985)

Unemployment rate: 12%-15% (1991 est.)

Budget: revenues $121 million; expenditures $225 million, including capital expenditures of $50 million (1990 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $268 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Commodoties: sugar, bauxite/alumina, rice, gold, shrimp, molasses, timber, rum
Partners: UK 28%, US 25%, FRG 8%, Canada 7%, Japan 6% (1989)

Imports: $242.4 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: manufactures, machinery, food, petroleum
Partners:

Exchange rates: Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1 - 125.8 (January 1993) 125.0 (1992), 111.8 (1991), 39.533 (1990), 27.159 (1989), 10.000 (1988)

Electricity
Production: 253,500 kW capacity; 276 million kWh produced, 370 kWh per capita (1992)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: $NA, NA% of GDP

Airports: 53
Usable: 48
With permanentsurface runways: 5
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 0
With runways 1220-2439 m: 13

Waterways:

Merchant marine:

Disputes international: