Guyana

 
Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

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

Area

Total area: 214,970 sq km
Land area: 196,850 sq km
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Idaho

Land Boundaries

Total 2,462 km, Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Coastline

459 km

Maritime Claims

Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Natural Resources

Bauxite
Gold
Diamonds
Hardwood timber
Shrimp
Fish

Land Use

Arable land: 3%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 6%
Forest and woodland: 83%
Other: 8%

Irrigated Land

1,300 sq km (1989 est.)

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

Population

712,091 (July 1996 est.)
723,774 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

33% (male 118,796; female 114,327) (July 1996 est.)
33% (male 123,048; female 118,515) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

63% (male 224,219; female 222,562) (July 1996 est.) 62% (male 225,543; female 224,484) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

4% (male 14,582; female 17,605) (July 1996 est.)
5% (male 14,644; female 17,540) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

-0.9% (1996 est.)
-0.81% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

19.03 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
19.41 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

9.55 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
7.34 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

-18.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
-20.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 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.)

Infant Mortality Rate

51.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
47.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total population: 60.1 years (1996 est.), 65.1 years (1995 est.)
Male: 57.55 years (1996 est.), 61.86 years (1995 est.)
Female: 62.78 years (1996 est.), 68.5 years (1995 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.19 children born/woman (1996 est.)
2.23 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Guyanese

Ethnic Divisions

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

Religions

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

Languages

English, Amerindian dialects

Literacy

Age 15 and over that has ever attended school (1995 est.)

Total population: 98.1%
Male: 98.6%
Female: 97.5%

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)

GOVERNMENT

Names

Conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
Conventional short form: Guyana
Former: British Guiana

Digraph

Type

Republic

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 U.K.)

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, 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

National Anthem

National anthem

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

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.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.6 billion (1995 est.); $1.4 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

5.1% (1995 est.)
8.5% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$2,200 (1995 est.)
$1,950 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

8.1% (1995)
15.5% (1994 est.)

Unemployment Rate

12% (1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues: $209 million
Expenditures: $303 million, including capital expenditures of $109 million (1995 est.)

Exports

$453 million (f.o.b., 1994)

Commodities:

Sugar
Bauxite/alumina
Rice
Shrimp
Molasses

Partners:

U.K. 33%
U.S. 31%
Canada 9%
France 5%
Japan 3% (1992)

Imports

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

Commodities:

Manufactures
Machinery
Petroleum
Food

Partners:

U.S. 37%
Trinidad and Tobago 13%
U.K. 11%
Italy 8%
Japan 5% (1992)

External Debt

$2.2 billion (1994 est.)

Industrial Production

Growth rate 5.6% (1994 est.)

Electricity

Capacity: 110,000 kW
Production: 230 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 286 kWh (1993)

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 U.S. and Europe; producer of cannabis

Economic Aid

Recipient: U.S. 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 - 140.3 (January 1996), 142.0 (1995), 138.3 (1994), 126.7 (1993), 125.0 (1992), 111.8 (1991), 39.533 (1990)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

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)

Highways

Total: 7,621 km
Paved: 547 km
Unpaved: 7,074 km (1987 est.)

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

Airports

Total: 47
With paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 32
With unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 9 (1995 est.)

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

Over 33,000 telephones (1987 est.); 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: 398,000 (1992 est.)

Television

Broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 32,000 (1992 est.)

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

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

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 198,665; males fit for military service 150,573 (1995 est.)

Defense Expenditures

NA, % of GDP: NA

History
World Atlas

Last modified: 9 december 1997

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