Guyana

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

• mostly rolling highlands;
• low coastal plain;
• savanna in south

• 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

noun:

Guyanese (singular and plural)

adjective:

Guyanese

total:

28.7 years (2025 est.)

male:

28.2 years

female:

28.4 years

• 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

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.)

total:

20.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

23.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

18.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

72.4 years (2024 est.)

male:

70.6 years

female:

74.3 years

total:

5.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

2.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

2.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

9.2% (2025 est.)

male:

16.9% (2025 est.)

female:

1.9% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

6.3% (2020)

women married by age 18:

32.3% (2020)

men married by age 18:

11.9% (2020)

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

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

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

urban population:

27.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

energy:

103 kt (2022-2024 est.)

agriculture:

51.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste:

7.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

other:

2.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

179,300 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

23% (2022 est.)

municipal:

61.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

20.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

1.363 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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;
• the name Guiana may be derived from a local term meaning "Land of Water" (referring to the area's multitude of rivers and streams)

name:

Georgetown

geographic coordinates:

6 48 N, 58 09 W

time difference:

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

the British founded the town in 1781 and named it in honor of King GEORGE III (1738-1820)

history:

several previous; latest promulgated 6 October 1980

amendment process:

• 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

citizenship by birth:

yes

citizenship by descent only:

yes

dual citizenship recognized:

no

residency requirement for naturalization:

na

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

election/appointment process:

• the predesignated candidate of the winning party in the last National Assembly election becomes president for a 5-year term (no term limits);
• prime minister appointed by the president

most recent election date:

1 September 2025

election results:

2025: Mohammed Irfaan ALI (PPP/C) reelected president by the majority party in the National Assembly; 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

expected date of next election:

August 2030

note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

legislature name:

Parliament of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana

legislative structure:

unicameral

chamber name:

National Assembly

number of seats:

72 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

proportional representation

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

5 years

most recent election date:

9/1/2025

parties elected and seats per party:

• People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) (36);
• We Invest in Nationhood (W.I.N.) (16);
• A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) (12);
• Other (1)

percentage of women in chamber:

36.1%

expected date of next election:

August 2030

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);
• Caribbean Court of Justice is the final court of appeal in civil and criminal cases

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

• 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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Samuel Archibald HINDS (since 7 July 2021)

chancery:

2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 265-6900

FAX:

[1] (202) 232-1297

email address and website:

[email protected]; http://www.guyanaembassydc.org/

consulate(s) general:

New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Nicole THERIOT (since 14 October 2023)

embassy:

100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown

mailing address:

3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170

telephone:

[592] 225-4900 through 4909

FAX:

[592] 225-8497

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://gy.usembassy.gov/

description:

• green with a red isosceles triangle (based on the left side) on top of a long yellow arrowhead shape that extends to the opposite side of the flag;
• a narrow black border sits between the red and yellow, and a narrow white border between the yellow and green

meaning:

green stands for forest and foliage, yellow for mineral resources and a bright future, white for the rivers, red for zeal and the people's sacrifice, and black for perseverance

• Guyana’s coat of arms was adopted in 1966, the year of the country’s independence from the United Kingdom;
• the jaguars signify strength and resilience, with one holding a pickaxe that stands for labor and the other holding stalks of rice and sugarcane for agriculture;
• two national symbols, the Canje pheasant and the Victorian lily, are on the shield, with the national motto underneath;
• three wavy blue lines stand for the Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice rivers, the headdress for the country’s ethnic groups, and the diamonds for the mining industry;
• the helmet is a symbol of past UK rule in Guyana

title:

"Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains"

lyrics/music:

Archibald Leonard LUKERL/Robert Cyril Gladstone POTTER

history:

adopted 1966

• 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

total:

22.3% (2024 est.)

male:

17.4% (2024 est.)

female:

28.1% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total petroleum production:

391,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

18,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

consumption:

1.991 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports:

1.991 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

• 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;
• government limits on licensing of new private radio stations has constrained competition

total ports:

3 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

1

small:

0

very small:

2

ports with oil terminals:

3

key ports:

Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam