1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 214,970 sq km land: 196,850 sq km water: 18,120 sq km
Area-comparative
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
Elevation extremes
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
Environment-international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
5 00 N, 59 00 W
Irrigated land
1,300 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Land use
arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 84% other: 8% (1993 est.)
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 hazards
flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
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: 31% (male 112,339; female 108,095) 15-64 years: 64% (male 228,719; female 226,309) 65 years and over: 5% (male 14,652; female 17,840) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate
18.49 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate
8.72 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups
East Indian 49%, black 32%, mixed 12%, Amerindian 6%, white and Chinese 1%
Infant mortality rate
48.67 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages
English, Amerindian dialects
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 62.34 years male: 59.5 years female: 65.32 years (1998 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98.1% male: 98.6% female: 97.5% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese
Net migration rate
-14.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population
707,954 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.47% (1998 est.)
Religions
Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1%
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: 0.82 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.12 children born/woman (1998 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
Constitution
6 October 1980
Country name
conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana
Data code
GY
Executive branch
chief of state: Executive President Janet JAGAN (since December 1997); replaced Samuel HINDS 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 after legislative elections which must be held within five years; legislative elections last held 15 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister appointed by the president
FAX
[592] (2) 58497
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
Government type
republic
Independence
26 May 1966 (from UK)
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, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, 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 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900, 6901 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MACK 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
Judicial branch
Supreme Court of Judicature Political parties and leaders: People's Progressive Party (PPP), People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE; For a Good and Green Guyana (GGG), Hamilton GREEN; Alliance for Guyana (AFG), 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; National Republican Party (NRP), Robert GANGADEEN; Guyana Labor Party (GLP); Guyana Democratic Party (GDP), Asgar ALLY; Guyanese Organization for Liberty and Democracy Party (GOLD), Anthony MEKDECI Political pressure groups and leaders: 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
Legal system
based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly (65 seats, 53 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 15 December 1997 (next to be held by March 2003) election results: percent of vote by party-PPP 54%, PNC 41%, AFG 1%, TUF 1%; seats by party-PPP 36, PNC 25, AFG 2, TUF 2
National capital
Georgetown
National holiday
Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture-products
sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; development potential exists for fishing and forestry
Budget
revenues: $278 million expenditures: $299 million, including capital expenditures of $133 million (1996 est.)
Currency
1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents
Debt-external
$1.5 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid
recipient: ODA, $NA
Economy-overview
In 1997, Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, posted its sixth straight year of economic growth of 5% or better, with the advance led by gold and bauxite mining and by sugar growing. Favorable growth factors have included expansion in the key agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiative, a more realistic exchange rate, a moderate inflation rate, and the continued support of international organizations. Serious underlying economic problems will continue. Electric power has been in short supply and constitutes a major barrier to future gains in national output. The government must persist in efforts to manage its sizable external debt and extend its privatization program.
Electricity-capacity
114,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita
339 kWh (1995)
Electricity-production
230 million kWh (1995)
Exchange rates
Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1-144.2 (January 1998), 142.4 (1997), 140.4 (1996), 142.0 (1995), 138.3 (1994), 126.7 (1993)
Exports
total value: $546 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses partners: Canada 33%, US 24%, UK 22% (1994 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year Communications
GDP
purchasing power parity-$1.8 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector
agriculture: 39% industry: 28% services: 33% (1995 est.)
GDP-per capita
purchasing power parity-$2,500 (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate
5% (1997 est.)
Imports
total value: $589 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food partners: US 29%, Trinidad and Tobago 17%, Netherlands Antilles 17%, UK 11%, (1994 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
5.6% (1994 est.)
Industries
bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp), textiles, gold mining
Inflation rate-consumer price index
4.5% (1997 est.)
Labor force
NA
Radio broadcast stations
AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 1
Radios
398,000 (1992 est.)
Telephone 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)
Telephones
33,000 (1987 est.)
Television broadcast stations
11 (1995 est.)
Televisions
32,000 (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate
12% (1992 est.)
Transportation
Airports
50 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 34 (1997 est.)
Highways
total: 7,970 km paved: 590 km unpaved: 7,380 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 2 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,340 GRT/4,530 DWT (1997 est.)
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 Ports and harbors: Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika
Military and Security
Military branches
Guyana Defense Force (GDF; includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Corps), Guyana People's Militia (GPM), Guyana National Service (GNS)
Military expenditures-dollar figure
$7 million (1994)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP
1.7% (1994)
Military manpower-availability
males age 15-49: 201,126 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 151,963 (1998 est.)
Transnational Issues
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)
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for narcotics from South America-primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis