Guyana

Co-operative Republic of Guyana

republicIndependence 26 May 1966 (from UK)

Guyana as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 80 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 sq km

LocationNorthern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,

Populationas each edition published it

723,774 people July 1995 est. · 764,649 in 1990

Population growth% a year

-0.81% 1995 est. · -0.68% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 25.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

65.1 years 1995 est. · 64.7 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.23 children per woman 1995 est. · 2.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

47.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 40 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,950 1994 est. · $370 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

8.5% 1994 est. · 7% in 1993

Geography

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

13 fields

Land useshare of 214,970 sq km

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

Area

214,970sq km

land area: 196,850 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Idaho

Coastline

459km

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the 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

International disputes

all of the area west of the Essequibo River 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

current issues:: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
natural hazards:: flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83

People

15 fields

Population

723,774

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: -0.81% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

19.41Death

7.34Net migration

-20.19

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years65.1

61.86 · 68.5

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy96%

98% · 95%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over has ever attended school (1990 est.)

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)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 33% (female 118,515; male 123,048)
15-64 years:: 62% (female 224,484; male 225,543)
65 years and over:: 5% (female 17,540; male 14,644) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

47.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

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

Government

Republic; Executive President Cheddi JAGAN (since 5 October 1992); Prime Minister Sam HINDS (since 5 October 1992)

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

53.4%

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

Legislature, 65 seatsone dot, one seat

(65 total, 53 elected) PPP 36PNC 26WPA 2TUF 1

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)

National holiday

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution

6 October 1980

Legal system

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: Executive President Cheddi JAGAN (since 5 October 1992);
election last held 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
head of government:: Prime Minister Sam HINDS (since 5 October 1992)
cabinet:: Cabinet of Ministers; appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature

Legislative branch

unicameral

National Assembly

elections 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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Judicature

Political parties and leaders

People's Progressive Party (PPP), Cheddi JAGAN;
People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE;
Good and Green Georgetown (GGG), Hamilton GREEN;
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

Member of

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL
chancery:: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 265-6900, 6901
consulate(s) general:: New York

US diplomatic representation

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

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,950

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

8.5%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 5.6% (1994 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

15.5%

(1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

12%

(1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$23.7 millionExpenditures

$19.6 million (1994 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 110,000 kW

Electricity production

230 millionElectricity consumption per capita

286 (1993)

Overview

Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, has pushed ahead strongly in 1992-94, with an 8% average annual economic growth rate, led by gold mining, and rice, sugar, and forestry products for export. Favorable factors include recovery in the key agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiative, a more realistic exchange rate, a sharp drop in the inflation rate, and the continued support of international organizations.

Serious underlying economic problems will continue. Electric power has been in short supply and constitutes a major barrier to future gains in national output. The government will have to persist in efforts to manage its large $2.2 billion external debt, control inflation, and to extend the privatization program.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.4 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$475 million (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities:: sugar, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses
partners:: UK 33%, US 31%, Canada 9%, France 5%, Japan 3% (1992)

Imports

$456 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.)

commodities:: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
partners:: US 37%, Trinidad and Tobago 13%, UK 11%, Italy 8%, Japan 5% (1992)

External debt

$2.2 billion (1994 est.)

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

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela - to the US and Europe; producer of cannabis

Economic aid

recipient:: 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 - 142.7 (January 1995), 138.3 (1994), 126.7 (1993), 125.0 (1992), 111.8 (1991), 39.533 (1990)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 54 in all

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

1,524 to 2,438 m

PavedUnpaved

Railroads

total: 100 km NA-m gauge industrial lines for the transport of minerals, including bauxite

Highways

total:: 7,665 km
paved:: 550 km
unpaved:: gravel 5,000 km; earth 2,115 km

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

Ports

Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika

Merchant marine

total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,317 GRT/2,558 DWT

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

over 27,000 telephones; fair system for long distance calling

local:: NA
intercity:: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
international:: tropospheric scatter link to Trinidad; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Radio

broadcast stations:: AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 1
radios:: NA

Television

broadcast stations:: 0
televisions:: NA

Defense Forces

Guyana Defense Force (GDF; includes Ground Forces, Coast | Guard, and Air Corps), Guyana People's Militia (GPM), Guyana National | Service (GNS)