Guyana

Co-operative Republic of Guyana

republic within the CommonwealthIndependence 26 May 1966 (from UK)

Guyana as the 2003 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 115 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
Position5 00 N, 59 00 W
Area214,970 sq km
LocationNorthern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela
2003

Every edition of Guyana

Populationas each edition published it
702,100 people July 2003 est. · 764,649 in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.44% 2003 est. · -0.68% in 1993
Median ageyears
25.7 years 2002 · 28.7 yrs in 2025
Life expectancyyears at birth
63.09 years 2003 est. · 64.7 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.07 children per woman 2003 est. · 2.7 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
37.55 deaths per 1,000 live births 2003 est. · 40 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$3,800 2002 est. · $370 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
1.1% 2002 est. · 7% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, but until the early 1990s it was ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments.

In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president, in what is considered the country's first free and fair election since independence. Upon his death five years later, he was succeeded by his wife Janet, who resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001.

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 214,970 sq km

arable land 2.44%permanent crops 0.08%other 97.48% (1998 est.)irrigated 1,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Area
214,970sq km
water: 18,120 sq kmland: 196,850 sq kmslightly smaller than Idaho
Coastline
459km
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the outer edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 NMterritorial sea: 12 NM
Highest point
2,835m
Mount Roraimalowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Land boundaries
2,462km
border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

5 00 N, 59 00 W

Map references

South America

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

Natural hazards

flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues

water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation

Environment - international agreements

party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

  • the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay;
  • substantial portions of its western and eastern territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively

People

19 fields
Population
702,100
growth rate: 0.44% (2003 est.)
Note
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2003 est.)

Birth
17.87Death
9.27Net migration
-4.16

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2003 est.)63.09
60.51 · 65.79Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)37.55
41.64 · 33.26
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)98.8%
99.1% · 98.5%Median age years (2002)25.7
25.2 · 26.3
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

Religions

Christian 50%Hindu 35%Muslim 10%other 5%

Age structure

0-14 years:
27% (male 96,775; female 93,077)
15-64 years:
67.9% (male 240,305; female 236,378)
65 years and over:
5.1% (male 15,755; female 19,810) (2003 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.8 male(s)/female
total population:
1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,300 (2001 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Guyanese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Guyanese

Ethnic groups

East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and mixed 7%

Languages

English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu

Government

Republic within the Commonwealth; President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999); Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December 1997)

18 fields

National Assembly, 65 seats, elected 19 March 2001one dot, one seat

PPP/C 34PNC 27GAP and WPA 2ROAR 1TUF 1

Country name

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

Government type

republic within the Commonwealth

Capital

Georgetown

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

Independence

26 May 1966 (from UK)

National holiday

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution

6 October 1980

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President JAGAN
head of government:
Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December 1997)
cabinet:
Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature
elections:
  • president elected by the majority party in the National Assembly following legislative elections, which must be held at least every five years;
  • elections last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held by March 2006);
  • prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of legislative vote - NA%

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (68 seats, 65 elected by popular vote, 1 elected Speaker of the National Assembly, and 2 nonvoting members appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPP/C 34, PNC 27, GAP and WPA 2, ROAR 1, TUF 1

Judicial branch

  • Supreme Court of Judicature;
  • Judicial Court of Appeal;
  • High Court

Political parties and leaders

  • Alliance for Guyana or AFG (includes Guyana Labor Party or GLP and Working People's Alliance or WPA) [Rupert ROOPNARAINE];
  • Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY];
  • Guyana Labor Party or GLP [leader NA];
  • People's National Congress or PNC/R [Robert Herman Orlando CORBIN];
  • People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO];
  • Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV];
  • The United Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR];
  • Working People's Alliance or WPA [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

note: the GCIO and the CLAC are small and active but not well organized

International organization participation

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL
chancery:
2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general:
New York
FAX:
[1] (202) 232-1297
telephone:
[1] (202) 265-6900

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Ronald D. GODARD
embassy:
100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
mailing address:
P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
telephone:
[592] 225-4900 through 4909
FAX:
[592] 225-8497

Flag description

  • 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

36 fields
Real growth rate
1.1%
(2002 est.)industrial production growth: 7.1% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate
9.1%
(understated) (2000)
Labor force
418,000
(2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2002 est.)

agriculture 35%industry 21%services 44% (2002 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

17.9%
US
23.7%
21.1%
Canada
12.9%
Netherlands Antilles
20.2%
Trinidad and Tobago
15.2%
10.4%
UK
5.1%
Italy
6.3%
5.3%
Jamaica
4.2%
Portugal
Cuba
4.2%
Exports $500 million f.o.b. (2002)Imports $575 million c.i.f. (2002)(2002)

Budget

Revenues
$227 millionExpenditures
$235.2 million (2000)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $93.4 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 99.4%hydro 0.6%other 0% · nuclear 0%
Electricity production
852 million (2001)Electricity consumption
792.4 million (2001)

Economy - overview

The Guyanese economy has exhibited moderate economic growth in 2001-02, based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support of international organizations.

Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure. The government is juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. The bauxite mining sector should benefit in the near term by restructuring and partial privatization.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $2.628 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Industries

bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Agriculture - products

  • sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils;
  • beef, pork, poultry, dairy products;
  • fish (shrimp)

Exports

$500 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities

sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber

Imports

$575 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities

manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Debt - external

$1.2 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient

$84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC) $253 million (1997)

Currency

Guyanese dollar (GYD)

Exchange rates

Guyanese dollars per US dollar - NA (2002), 187.32 (2001), 182.43 (2000), 178 (1999), 150.52 (1998)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
6,100
(2000)
Fixed lines
70,000
(2000) · country code .gy

Telephone system

general assessment:
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)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)

Internet users

95,000 (2002)

Transportation

8 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

3
1,524 to 2,437 m
1
5
under 914 m
34
914 to 1,523 m
8
Paved 8Unpaved 43

Networkskm

Highways
7,970Railways
187Waterways
5,900
Highways: paved: 590 km · unpaved: 7,380 km (1999 est.) · Railways: standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge · narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.) · Waterways: (total length of navigable waterways) note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively

Railways

total:
187 km
standard gauge:
139 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge:
48 km 0.914-m gauge

note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)

Highways

total:
7,970 km
paved:
590 km
unpaved:
7,380 km (1999 est.)

Waterways

5,900 km (total length of navigable waterways) note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively

Ports and harbors

Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika

Merchant marine

total:
2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,929 GRT/4,507 DWT
ships by type:
cargo 2 (2002 est.)

Airports

51 (2002)

Military

Guyana Defense Force (including Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Corps), Guyana Police Force, Guyana People's Militia, Guyana National Service

5 fields

Military branches

Guyana Defense Force (including Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Corps), Guyana Police Force, Guyana People's Militia, Guyana National Service

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 207,890 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 156,174 (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

  • all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) claimed by Venezuela;
  • Suriname claims area between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Kutari [Koetari] rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne);
  • territorial sea boundary with Suriname is in dispute

Illicit drugs

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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Guyana.” The World Factbook 2003. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/guyana/2003.

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