Guyana

Co-operative Republic of Guyana

republicIndependence 26 May 1966 (from UK)

Guyana as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 76 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

LocationNorthern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Suriname

Populationas each edition published it

734,640 people July 1993 est. · 764,649 in 1990

Population growth% a year

-0.68% 1993 est. · 0.35% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 25.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

64.7 years 1993 est. · 72.4 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.35 children per woman 1993 est. · 2.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

49.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 40 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$370 1992 est. · $70,300 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

7% 1992 est. · 43.4% in 2025

Geography

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

13 fields

Land useshare of 214,970 km2

arable land 3%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 6%forest and woodland 83%other 8%irrigated 1,300 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

214,970km2

land area: 196,850 km2comparative area: slightly smaller than Idaho

Coastline

459km

continental shelf: 200 nm or the outer edge of continental marginexclusive fishing zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

2,462km

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

Location

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

Map references

South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

all of the area west of the Essequibo River claimed by Venezuela;
Suriname claims area between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Koetari 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

734,640

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

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

20.47Death

7.39Net migration

-19.89

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years64.7

61.46 · 68.1

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy95%

98% · 96%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over having ever attended scool (1990)

Ethnic divisions

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

Religions

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

Labor force

268,000

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

Infant mortality rate

49.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Guyanese (singular and plural)
adjective:: Guyanese

Government

Republic

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

53.4%

PPP 53.4%PNC 42.3%WPA 2%TUF 1.2%

Names

conventional long form:: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
conventional short form:: Guyana
former:: British Guiana

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)

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)

Political parties and leaders

People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE;
People's Party (PPP), Cheddi JAGAN;
Working People's Alliance (WPA), Eusi KWAYANA, Rupert ROOPNARINE;
Democratic Labor Movement (DLM), Paul TENNASSEE;
People's Democratic Movement (PDM), Llewellyn JOHN;
National Democratic Front (NDF), Joseph BACCHUS;
The United Force (TUF), Manzoor NADIR;
United Republican Party (URP), Leslie RAMSAMMY;
National Republican Party (NRP), Robert GANGADEEN;
Guyana Labor Party (GLP), Nanda GOPAUL

Other political or pressure groups

Trades Union Congress (TUC);
Guyana Council of Indian Organizations (GCIO);
Civil Liberties Action Committee (CLAC)

note: the latter two organizations are small and active but not well organized

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Elections

Executive President:: last held on 5 October 1992; results - Cheddi JAGAN was elected president since he was leader of the party with the most votes in the National Assembly elections
National Assembly:: last held on 5 October 1992 (next to be held in 1997);
results - PPP 53.4%, PNC 42.3%, WPA 2%, TUF 1.2%;
seats - (65 total, 53 elected) PPP 36, PNC 26, WPA 2, TUF 1

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

Leaders

Chief of State:: Executive President Cheddi JAGAN (since 5 October 1992); First Vice President Sam HINDS (since 5 October 1992)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Sam HINDS (since 5 October 1992)

Member of

ACP, C, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Dr. Odeen ISHMAEL
chancery:: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: (202) 265-6900
consulate general:: New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador George Jones
embassy:: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Georgetown
mailing address:: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
telephone:: [592] (2) 54900 through 54909 and 57960 through 57969
FAX:: [592] (2) 58497

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

Guyana is one of the world's poorest countries with a per capita income less | than one-fifth the South American average.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$370

(1992 est.)

Real growth rate

(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 12% (1990 est.); accounts for about 24% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

15%

(1992)

Unemployment rate

12%

-15% (1991 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$121 millionExpenditures

$225 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $50 million (1990 est.)

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, electric power has been 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. 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.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $267.5 million (1992 est.)

Exports

$268 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities:: 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.)

commodities:: manufactures, machinery, food, petroleum
partners:: US 40%, Trinidad & Tobago 13%, UK 11%, Japan 5%, Netherland Antilles 3% (1989)

External debt

$2 billion including arrears (1990)

Electricity

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

Industries

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

Agriculture

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

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $116 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $325 million;
Communist countries 1970-89, $242 million

Currency

1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents

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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

7 fields

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