Guyana

republicIndependence 26 May 1966 (from UK

Guyana as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 71 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalGeorgetown

Area214,970 km2

Populationas each edition published it

764,649 people July 1990 · 794,099 in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition -0.68% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 25.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 64.7 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.7 children per woman 1990 · 2.04 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

40 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 20.6 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $370 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 7% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Land useshare of 214,970 km2

arable land 3%meadows and pastures 6%forest and woodland 83%other 8%NEGL% permanent crops; includes 1% irrigated

Total area

214,970km2

land area: 196,850 km2Comparative area: slightly smaller than Idaho

Coastline

459km

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

2,462km total

Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Continental shelf

outer edge of continental margin or 200 nm;

Disputes

Essequibo area claimed by Venezuela; Suriname claims area between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Kutari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne)

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

Environment

flash floods a constant threat during rainy seasons; water pollution

People

14 fields

Population

764,649

(July 1990), growth rate - 0.1% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

24Death

Ethnic divisions

East Indian 51%black and mixed 43%Amerindian 4%European and Chinese 2%

Religion

Christian 57%Hindu 33%Muslim 9%other 1%

Literacy

85%

Nationality

noun--Guyanese (sing., pl.); adjective--Guyanese

Labor force

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

Government

Republic

18 fields

National Assembly, 53 seats, elected 9 December 1985one dot, one seat

(65 total, 53 elected) PNC 42PPP 8UF 2WPA 1

Percent of vote

PNC 78%PPP 16%UF 4%WPA 2%

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 UK; formerly British Guiana)

Constitution

6 October 1980

Legal system

based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

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 Chief of State--President Hugh Desmond HOYTE (since 6 August 1985);
First Vice President Hamilton GREEN (since 6 August 1985);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Hamilton GREEN (since 6 August 1985)

Political parties and leaders

People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond Hoyte;
People's Progressive Party (PPP), Cheddi Jagan;
Working People's Alliance (WPA), Eusi Kwayana, Rupert Roopnarine, Moses Bhagwan;
Democratic Labor Movement (DLM), Paul Tennassee;
People's Democratic Movement (PDM), Llewellyn John;
National Democratic Front (NDF), Joseph Bacchus;
United Force (UF), Marcellus Feilden Singh;
Vanguard for Liberation and Democracy (VLD, also known as Liberator Party), Gunraj Kumar, J. K. Makepeace Richmond

Suffrage

universal at age 18 Executive President--last held on 9 December 1985 (next to be held late 1990);
Hugh Desmond Hoyte was elected president (the leader of the party with the most votes in the National Assembly elections--PNC 78%);
National Assembly--last held on 9 December 1985 (next to be held by 9 December 1990);
results--PNC 78%, PPP 16%, UF 4%, WPA 2%;
seats--(65 total, 53 elected) PNC 42, PPP 8, UF 2, WPA 1

Communists

100 (est.) hardcore within PPP;
top echelons of PPP and PYO (Progressive Youth Organization, militant wing of the PPP) include many Communists;
small but unknown number of orthodox Marxist-Leninists within PNC, some of whom formerly belonged to the PPP

Other political or pressure groups

Trades Union Congress (TUC);
Guyana Council of Indian Organizations (GCIO);
Civil Liberties Action Committee (CLAC);
the latter two organizations are small and active but not well organized

Member of

ACP, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBA, IBRD, ICAO, ICJ, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IRC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Dr. Cedric Hilburn GRANT;
Chancery at 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 265-6900;
there is a Guyanese Consulate General in New York;
US--Ambassador Theresa A. TULL;
Embassy at 31 Main Street, Georgetown;
telephone [592] (02) 54900 through 54909

Flag

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

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$323million

per capita $420; real growth rate - 3.0% (1988 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

35%

(1988 est.)

External debt

$1.8billion

including arrears (December 1988)

Budget

Revenues

$173 millionExpenditures

$414 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $75 million (1988 est.)

Overview

After growing on average at less than 1% a year in 1984-87, GDP dropped by 3% in 1988, the result of bad weather, labor trouble in the canefields, and flooding and equipment problems in the bauxite industry. Consumer prices rose about 35%, and the current account deficit widened substantially as sugar and bauxite exports fell.

Moreover, electric power is in short supply and constitutes a major barrier to future gains in national output. The government, in association with 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.

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$215 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.) commodities--bauxite, sugar, rice, shrimp, gold, molasses, timber, rum;
partners--UK 37%, US 12%, Canada 10.6%, CARICOM 4.8% (1986)

Imports

$216 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.);
commodities--manufactures machinery, food, petroleum;
partners--CARICOM 41%, US 18%, UK 9%, Canada 3% (1984)

Industrial production

growth rate - 5.0% (1988 est.)

Electricity

221,000 kW capacity; 583 million kWh produced, 760 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

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

Agriculture

most important sector, accounting for 25% of GDP and over 50% 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

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $109 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $234 million;
Communist countries (1970-88), $242 million

Currency

Guyanese dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1--33.0000 (January 1990), 27.159 (1989), 10.000 (1988), 9.756 (1987), 4.272 (1986), 4.252 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

7 fields

Airports, 66 total, 63 usable

permanent-surface runways

5runways over 2,439 m

nonerunways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

7,665Railroads

187

Highways: ; 550 km paved, 5,000 km gravel, 1,525 km earth, 590 km unimproved · Railroads: , all single track 0.914-meter gauge

Railroads

187 km total, all single track 0.914-meter gauge

Highways

7,665 km total; 550 km paved, 5,000 km gravel, 1,525 km earth, 590 km unimproved

Inland waterways

6,000 km total of navigable waterways; Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively