1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 214,970 sq km land area: 196,850 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Idaho
Climate
tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)
Coastline
459 km
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
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)
Irrigated land
1,300 sq km (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
total 2,462 km, Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Land use
arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 83% other: 8%
Location
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela
Map references
South America
Maritime claims
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Terrain
mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
People and Society
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.)
Birth rate
19.41 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
7.34 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
East Indian 51%, black and mixed 43%, Amerindian 4%, European and Chinese 2%
Infant mortality rate
47.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
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)
Languages
English, Amerindian dialects
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 65.1 years male: 61.86 years female: 68.5 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1990 est.) total population: 96% male: 98% female: 95%
Nationality
noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese
Net migration rate
-20.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
723,774 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.81% (1995 est.)
Religions
Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1%
Total fertility rate
2.23 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
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
Capital
Georgetown
Constitution
6 October 1980
Digraph
GY
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
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
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
Independence
26 May 1966 (from UK)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court of Judicature
Legal system
based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral
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
Names
conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana
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
National holiday
Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
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
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
republic
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
Economy
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
Budget
revenues: $23.7 million expenditures: $19.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)
Currency
1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents
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, $242 million
Electricity
capacity: 110,000 kW production: 230 million kWh consumption per capita: 286 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1 - 142.7 (January 1995), 138.3 (1994), 126.7 (1993), 125.0 (1992), 111.8 (1991), 39.533 (1990)
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)
External debt
$2.2 billion (1994 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela - to the US and Europe; producer of cannabis
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)
Industrial production
growth rate 5.6% (1994 est.)
Industries
bauxite mining, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp), textiles, gold mining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
15.5% (1994 est.)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.4 billion (1994 est.)
National product per capita
$1,950 (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate
8.5% (1994 est.)
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.
Unemployment rate
12% (1992 est.)
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 1 radios: NA
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
Television
broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 54 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: 34 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 14
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
Merchant marine
total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,317 GRT/2,558 DWT
Ports
Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika
Railroads
total: 100 km NA-m gauge industrial lines for the transport of minerals, including bauxite
Military and Security
Branches
Guyana Defense Force (GDF; includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Corps), Guyana People's Militia (GPM), Guyana National Service (GNS)
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP ________________________________________________________________________ HAITI
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 198,665; males fit for military service 150,573 (1995 est.)