Country Guide

Guyana Facts

Geography People and Society Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Geography

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


Geographic coordinates:
5 00 N, 59 00 W


Map references:
South America


Area:
total:214,969 sq kmcountry comparison to the world: 85
land:196,849 sq km
water:18,120 sq km


Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Idaho


Land boundaries:
total:2,933 km
border countries: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 extremes:
lowest point:Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:Mount Roraima 2,835 m


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


Land use:
arable land:1.95%
permanent crops:0.13%
other:97.92% (2011)


Irrigated land:
1,501 sq km (2003)


Total renewable water resources:
241 cu km (2011)


Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
241 cu km (2011)

Natural hazards:
flash flood threat during rainy seasons


Environment - current issues:
water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation


Environment - international agreements:
party to:Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified:none of the selected agreements


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

People and Society

Nationality:
noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
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%, Muslim 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other Christian 17.7%, other 1.9%, none 4.3%, unspecified 0.9% (2002 est.)


Demographic profile:
Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America and shares cultural and historical bonds with the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana's two largest ethnic groups are the Afro-Guyanese (descendants of African slaves) and the Indo-Guyanese (descendants of Indian indentured laborers), which together comprise about three quarters of Guyana's population. Tensions periodically have boiled over between the two groups, which back ethnically based political parties and vote along ethnic lines. Poverty reduction has stagnated since the late 1990s. About one-third of the Guyanese population lives below the poverty line; indigenous people are disproportionately affected. Although Guyana's literacy rate is reported to be among the highest in the Western Hemisphere, the level of functional literacy is considerably lower, which has been attributed to poor education quality, teacher training, and infrastructure.


Population:
735,554country comparison to the world: 165
note:estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2014 est.)



Age structure:
0-14 years:29% (male 108,703/female 104,793)
15-24 years:21% (male 79,354/female 74,921)
25-54 years:37.2% (male 142,348/female 131,108)
55-64 years:7.5% (male 24,677/female 30,562)
65 years and over:5.1% (male 16,318/female 22,770) (2014 est.)


Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:63.5 %
youth dependency ratio:57.7 %
elderly dependency ratio:5.7 %
potential support ratio:17.5 (2014 est.)


Median age:
total:25 years
male:24.6 years
female:25.4 years (2014 est.)


Population growth rate:
-0.11% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 204


Birth rate:
15.9 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 125


Death rate:
7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 122


Net migration rate:
-9.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 214


Urbanization:
urban population:28.4% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization:0.53% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)


Major urban areas - population:
GEORGETOWN (capital) 127,000 (2011)


Sex ratio:
at birth:1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years:1.06 male(s)/female
25-54 years:1.09 male(s)/female
55-64 years:1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.69 male(s)/female
total population:0.99 male(s)/female (2014 est.)


    Mother's mean age at first birth:
20.8


Maternal mortality rate:
280 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)


Infant mortality rate:
total:33.56 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 65
male:37.57 deaths/1,000 live births
female:29.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)


Life expectancy at birth:
total population:67.81 yearscountry comparison to the world: 162
male:64.82 years
female:70.96 years (2014 est.)


Total fertility rate:
2.14 children born/woman (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 106


Contraceptive prevalence rate:
42.5% (2009)


Health expenditures:
5.9% of GDP (2011)


Physicians density:
0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2010)


Hospital bed density:
2 beds/1,000 population (2009)


Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 96.6% of population
rural: 97.9% of population
total: 97.6% of population
unimproved:
urban: 3.4% of population
rural: 2.1% of population
total: 2.4% of population (2012 est.)


Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 87.9% of population
rural: 82% of population
total: 83.6% of population
unimproved:
urban: 12.1% of population
rural: 18% of population
total: 16.4% of population (2012 est.)


HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.3% (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 37


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
7,200 (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 116


HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100 (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 134


Major infectious diseases:


Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
17.2% (2008)country comparison to the world: 113


Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
11.1% (2009)country comparison to the world: 66


Education expenditures:
3.2% of GDP (2012)country comparison to the world: 136

Literacy:
definition:age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population:91.8%
male:92%
female:91.6% (2002 Census)


School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:10 years
male:9 years
female:11 years (2012)


Child labor - children ages 5-14:



Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total:46.05%country comparison to the world: 8
male:43.59%
female:50% (2011)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana
conventional short form:Guyana
former:British Guiana


Government type:
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)


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


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


Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal


Executive branch:
chief of state:President Donald RAMOTAR (since 03 December 2011)
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 election, which must be held at least every five years (no term limits); elections last held on 28 November 2011 (next to be held 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:
highest court(s):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 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:
Alliance for Change or AFC [Khemraj RAMJATTAN]
Justice for All Party [C.N. SHARMA]
A Partnership for National Unity or APNU [David GRANGER]
People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Donald RAMOTAR]
Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]
The United Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]
The Unity Party [Joey JAGAN]
Vision Guyana [Peter RAMSAROOP]


Political pressure groups and leaders:
Amerindian People's Association


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:
chief of mission:Ambassador Bayney KARRAN (since 4 December 2003)
chancery:2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:[1] (202) 265-6900
FAX:[1] (202) 232-1297
consulate(s) general:New York


Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador D. Brent HARDT (since 19 August 2011)
embassy:US Embassy, 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
mailing address:P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown; US Embassy, 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170
telephone:[592] 225-4900 through 4909
FAX:[592] 225-8497


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 symbol(s):
Canje pheasant (hoatzin); jaguar


National anthem:
name:'Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains'

lyrics/music:Archibald Leonard LUKERL/Robert Cyril Gladstone POTTER
note:adopted 1966

Economy

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 60% in 2013. Guyana had become heavily indebted as a result of the inward-looking, state-led development model pursued in the 1970s and 1980s. Much of Guyana's growth in recent years has come from a surge in gold production in response to global prices, although downward trends in gold prices may threaten future growth. In 2013, production of sugar dropped to a 23-year low.


GDP (purchasing power parity):
$6.593 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
$6.26 billion (2012 est.)
$5.972 billion (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.02 billion (2013 est.)


GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
4.8% (2012 est.)
5.4% (2011 est.)


GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,500 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
$8,100 (2012 est.)
$7,700 (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


Gross national saving:
6.2% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
8.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
9.4% of GDP (2011 est.)


GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:85.6%
government consumption:16.3%
investment in fixed capital:22.5%
investment in inventories:-13.5%
exports of goods and services:59.9%
imports of goods and services:-70.8%
(2013 est.)


GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:20.7%
industry:38.5%
services:40.8% (2013 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:
13.5% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5

Labor force:
313,100 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164


Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:NA%
industry:NA%
services:NA%


Unemployment rate:
11% (2007)
country comparison to the world: 117

    Population below poverty line:
35% (2006)


Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:1.3%
highest 10%:33.8% (1999)


Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.6 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 44
43.2 (1999)


Budget:
revenues:$756.7 million
expenditures:$948.5 million (2013 est.)


Taxes and other revenues:
25.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-6.4% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183


Public debt:
59.9% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
59.5% of GDP (2012 est.)


Fiscal year:
calendar year


Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.9% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
2.4% (2012 est.)


Central bank discount rate:
5.5% (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
4.25% (31 December 2010 est.)


Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.8% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
13.86% (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of narrow money:
$601.8 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
$550.4 million (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of broad money:
$1.617 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
$1.49 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of domestic credit:
$1.352 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
$1.223 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Market value of publicly traded shares:
$610.9 million (31 December 2012 est.)


Current account balance:
-$510.7 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
-$394.8 million (2012 est.)


Exports:
$1.337 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
$1.396 billion (2012 est.)


Exports - commodities:
sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber


Exports - partners:
US 30.8%, Canada 28.9%, UK 6.2% (2012)


Imports:
$2.039 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
$1.978 billion (2012 est.)


Imports - commodities:
manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food


Imports - partners:
US 22.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 21.9%, China 12.3%, Cuba 6.1%, Suriname 4% (2012)


Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$854.7 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
$864 million (31 December 2012 est.)


Debt - external:
$1.846 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
$1.846 billion (31 December 2011 est.)


Exchange rates:
Guyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar -
205.9 (2013 est.)
204.36 (2012 est.)
203.64 (2010 est.)
203.95 (2009)
203.86 (2008)

Energy

Electricity - production:
700 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155


Electricity - consumption:
512 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170


Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146


Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154


Electricity - installed generating capacity:
362,500 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148


Electricity - from fossil fuels:
96% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67


Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102


Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146


Electricity - from other renewable sources:
3.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54


Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178


Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123


Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197


    Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141


Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153


Refined petroleum products - consumption:
10,910 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151


Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184


Refined petroleum products - imports:
10,780 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129


Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141


Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155


Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114


Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203


Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147


Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
1.673 million Mt (2011 est.)

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
154,200 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 136


Telephones - mobile cellular:
547,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 167


Telephone system:
general assessment:fair system for long-distance service; microwave radio relay network for trunk lines; many areas still lack fixed-line telephone services
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


Internet hosts:
24,936 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 112


Internet users:
189,600 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 142

Transportation

Airports
117 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 50


Airports - with paved runways
total:11
1,524 to 2,437 m:2
914 to 1,523 m:1
under 914 m:8 (2013)


Airports - with unpaved runways
total:106
1,524 to 2,437 m:1
914 to 1,523 m:16
under 914 m:
89 (2013)


Roadways
total:7,970 kmcountry comparison to the world: 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)
country comparison to the world: 92


Merchant marine
total:10country comparison to the world: 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
major seaport(s):Georgetown

Military

Military branches
Guyana Defense Force: Army (includes Air Corps, Coast Guard) (2012)


Military service age and obligation
18 years of age or older for voluntary military service; no conscription (2014)


Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49:189,840 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49:133,239
females age 16-49:147,719 (2010 est.)


    Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male:8,849
female:8,460 (2010 est.)


Military expenditures
1.09% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 94
1.17% of GDP (2011)
1.09% of GDP (2010)

Transnational Issues

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


    Trafficking in 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
 Information/ Data by CIA - The World Factbook