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National Map
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Guyana |
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National Flag
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Guyana |
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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
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Guyana |
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National Anthem
Of |
Guyana |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Guyana |
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Background:
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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. |
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Location:
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Northern
South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Suriname and Venezuela |
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Geographic coordinates:
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5 00 N,
59 00 W |
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Map references:
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South
America |
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Area:
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total:
214,970 sq km
land: 196,850 sq km
water: 18,120 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
smaller than Idaho |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
2,462 km
border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600
km, Venezuela 743 km |
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Coastline:
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459 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of
the continental margin |
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Climate:
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tropical;
hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two
rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to
mid-January) |
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Terrain:
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mostly
rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m |
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Natural resources:
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bauxite,
gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 2.44%
permanent crops: 0.15%
other: 97.41% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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1,500 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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flash
floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons |
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Environment - current issues:
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water
pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial
chemicals; deforestation |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party
to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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 |
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Geography - note:
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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 |
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Population:
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765,283
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 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 26.4% (male 103,054/female 99,279)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 263,953/female 260,000)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 16,801/female
22,196) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
26.91 years
male: 26.44 years
female: 27.4 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.26%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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18.45
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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8.32
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-7.51
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
33.26 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 36.94 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 29.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 65.5 years
male: 62.86 years
female: 68.28 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.05
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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2.5%
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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11,000
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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1,100
(2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Guyanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Guyanese |
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Ethnic groups:
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East
Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese,
and mixed 7% |
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Religions:
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Christian
50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5% |
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Languages:
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English,
Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98.8%
male: 99.1%
female: 98.5% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of
Guyana
conventional short form: Guyana
former: British Guiana |
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Government type:
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republic
within the Commonwealth |
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Capital:
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Georgetown |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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26 May
1966 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Republic
Day, 23 February (1970) |
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Constitution:
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6 October
1980 |
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Legal system:
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based on
English common law with certain admixtures of
Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August
1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of
President Janet JAGAN
head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS
(since 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% |
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Legislative branch:
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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 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 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court of Judicature; Judicial Court of Appeal; High
Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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 [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] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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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 |
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International organization participation:
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ACP, C,
Caricom, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM,
OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRAN
chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900
FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297
consulate(s) general: New York |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Roland BULLEN
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 |
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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The
Guyanese economy 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. Growth then slowed in 2003 and came back
gradually in 2004, buoyed largely by increased export
earnings. 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 from
restructuring and partial privatization. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$2.899
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.9%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 38.3%
industry: 19.9%
services: 41.8% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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418,000
(2001 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
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Unemployment rate:
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9.1%
(understated) (2000) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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4.5%
(2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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34.5% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $287.6 million
expenditures: $371.6 million, including capital
expenditures of $93.4 million (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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sugarcane, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork,
poultry, dairy products; fish, shrimp |
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Industries:
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bauxite,
sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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7.1%
(1997 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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808
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 99.4%
hydro: 0.6%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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751.4
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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11,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Current account balance:
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$-129.4
million (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$570.2
million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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sugar,
gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum,
timber |
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Exports - partners:
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Canada
23.2%, US 19.2%, UK 10.9%, Portugal 9%, Belgium 6.4%,
Jamaica 5.2% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$650.1
million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food |
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Imports - partners:
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Trinidad
and Tobago 24.8%, US 24.5%, Cuba 6.8%, UK 5.4% (2004)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$280.6
million (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$1.2
billion (2002) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$84
million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative
(HIPC) $253 million (1997) |
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Currency (code):
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Guyanese
dollar (GYD) |
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Currency code:
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GYD |
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Exchange rates:
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Guyanese
dollars per US dollar - 198.33 (2004), 193.88 (2003),
190.67 (2002), 187.32 (2001), 182.43 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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80,400
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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87,300
(2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: fair system for long-distance
service
domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk
lines
international: country code - 592; tropospheric
scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 3, FM
3, shortwave 1 (1998) |
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Radios:
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420,000
(1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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3 (one
public station; two private stations which relay US
satellite services) (1997) |
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Televisions:
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46,000
(1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.gy |
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Internet hosts:
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613
(2003) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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3 (2000)
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Internet users:
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125,000
(2002) |
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Railways:
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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.)
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Highways:
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total:
7,970 km
paved: 590 km
unpaved: 7,380 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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1,077 km
note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are
navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and
80 km respectively (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Georgetown |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,475 GRT/8,758 DWT
by type: cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1
registered in other countries: 3 (2005) |
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Airports:
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49 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
41
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Guyana
Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Corps,
Guyana People's Militia |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 206,098 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 137,964 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$6.5
million (2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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0.9%
(2004) |
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Disputes - international:
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all of
the area west of the Essequibo (river) is claimed by
Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime
boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join
Barbados in asserting claims before UNCLOS that Trinidad
and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends
into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of land
between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic
dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana
seeks UNCLOS arbitration to resolve the long-standing
dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial
sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters |
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Illicit drugs:
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transshipment point for narcotics from South America -
primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of
cannabis |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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