Guyana
Co-operative Republic of Guyana
republicIndependence 26 May 1966 (from UK)
Guyana as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 86 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic | Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela
14 fieldsLand useshare of 214,970 sq km
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
- lowest point:
- Atlantic Ocean 0 m
- highest point:
- Mount Roraima 2,835 m
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, Whaling
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1996 est.)
Male · female(1996 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 33% (male 118,796; female 114,327)
- 15-64 years:
- 63% (male 224,219; female 222,562)
- 65 years and over:
- 4% (male 14,582; female 17,605) (July 1996 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.83 male(s)/female
- all ages:
- 1.01 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Government
Republic; Executive President Cheddi JAGAN (since 9 October 1992); Prime Minister Sam HINDS (since 9 October 1992) was appointed by the president
21 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Legislature, 65 seatsone dot, one seat
Name of country
- conventional long form:
- Co-operative Republic of Guyana
- conventional short form:
- Guyana
- former:
- British Guiana
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
Legal system
based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Executive President Cheddi JAGAN (since 9 October 1992);
- the president is elected by the majority party in the National Assembly after legislative elections, which must be held within five years;
- legislative elections last held 5 October 1992 (next to be held NA 1997);
- results - Cheddi JAGAN was elected president by the PPP
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Sam HINDS (since 9 October 1992) was appointed by the president
- cabinet:
- Cabinet of Ministers was appointed by the president; is responsible to the legislature
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
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
International organization participation
ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
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 David L. HOBBS
- 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
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
21 fieldsGDP composition by sector(1993 est.)
Installed generating capacity, 110,000 kW
Economic overview
In 1995, Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, posted its fifth straight year of economic growth of 5% or better, with the advance led by gold mining and by production of 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 must persist in efforts to manage its $2 billion external debt, control inflation, and extend the privatization program.
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)
Agriculture
- sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils;
- beef, pork, poultry, dairy products;
- development potential exists for fishing and forestry
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela - to the US and Europe; producer of cannabis
Exports
$453 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
$456 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
- commodities:
- manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
- partners:
- US 37%, Trinidad and Tobago 13%, UK 11%, Italy 8%, Japan 5% (1992)
Exchange rates
Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1 - 140.3 (January 1996), 142.0 (1995), 138.3 (1994), 126.7 (1993), 125.0 (1992), 111.8 (1991)
Transportation
6 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 47 in all
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 88 km
- standard gauge:
- 40 km 1.435-m gauge (dedicated to ore transport)
- narrow gauge:
- 48 km 0.914-m gauge (dedicated to ore transport)
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
Communications
Guyana Defense Force (GDF; includes Ground Forces, Coast | Guard, and Air Corps), Guyana People's Militia (GPM), Guyana | National Service (GNS)
9 fieldsTelephone system
fair system for long-distance calling
- domestic:
- microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
- international:
- tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Branches
Guyana Defense Force (GDF; includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Corps), Guyana People's Militia (GPM), Guyana National Service (GNS)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Guyana.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/guyana/1996.