Guyana Population: 739,903
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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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| Geography | |
| 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 | |
| Location: | Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela |
| Geographic coordinates: | 5 00 N, 59 00 W |
| Area: | total: 214,969 sq km land: 196,849 sq km water: 18,120 sq km Size comparison: slightly smaller than Idaho |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 2,949 km border countries: Brazil 1,606 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 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: 2.23% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 97.63% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 1,500 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | flash flood threat during rainy seasons |
| Current Environment Issues: | water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation |
| International Environment 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 |
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| People | |
| Population: | 739,903 (July 2013 est.) 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 |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 30.2% (male 113,724/female 109,643) 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.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 24.2 years male: 23.5 years female: 25 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | -0.327% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 16.69 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 7.18 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -12.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 35.59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 39.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 31.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 67.39 years male: 63.57 years female: 71.4 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.21 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 1.2% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 5,900 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 500 (2009 est.) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| Languages: | English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Urdu |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 91.8% male: 92% female: 91.6% (2002 Census) |
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| 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: | 6 October 1980 |
| Legal system: | common law system, based on the English model, with some Roman-Dutch civil law influence |
| 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 (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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: | Supreme Court of Judicature, consisting of the High Court and the Court of Appeal, with right of final appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) |
| 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; Guyana Bar Association; Guyana Citizens Initiative; Guyana Human Rights Association; Guyana Public Service Union or GPSU; Private Sector Commission; Trades Union Congress |
| 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 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 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 |
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| Economy | |
| 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. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $6.164 billion (2012 est.) $5.946 billion (2011 est.) $5.639 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $2.788 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 3.7% (2012 est.) 5.4% (2011 est.) 4.4% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $8,000 (2012 est.) $7,700 (2011 est.) $7,300 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 20.3% industry: 34.8% services: 44.9% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 313,100 (2009 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
| Unemployment rate: | 11% (2007) |
| 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) 43.2 (1999) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.1% (2012 est.) 2.6% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 29.6% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $628.7 million expenditures: $793.1 million (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 66.1% of GDP (2012 est.) 62.1% of GDP (2011 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: | 0.3% (2010) |
| Electricity - production: | 817 million kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 683 million kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$324.8 million (2012 est.) -$307.2 million (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $1.229 billion (2012 est.) $1.18 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber |
| Exports - partners: | Canada 29%, US 28.6%, UK 4.9%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.3%, Jamaica 4.3%, Netherlands 4% (2011) |
| Imports: | $1.85 billion (2012 est.) $1.746 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food |
| Imports - partners: | US 21.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 20%, China 8.3%, South Africa 7.5%, Cuba 5.5% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $1.002 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $801.8 million (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $1.234 billion (31 December 2010) $804.3 million (30 September 2008) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $440.4 million (31 December 2011) $339.8 million (31 December 2010) $287 million (31 December 2009) |
| Exchange rates: | Guyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar - 204.4 (2012 est.) 204.02 (2011 est.) 203.64 (2010 est.) 203.95 (2009) 203.86 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 152,600 (2011) country comparison to the world: 134 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 528,800 (2011) |
| 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) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .gy |
| Internet hosts: | 24,936 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 189,600 (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 98 (2012) country comparison to the world: 59 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 8 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 87 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 74 (2012) |
| Roadways: | total: 7,970 km 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) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 10 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: | Georgetown |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Guyana Defense Force: Army (includes Air Corps, Coast Guard) (2012) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012) |
| 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.) |
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