2000 Edition

Background

Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966 and became a republic in 1970. In 1989 Guyana launched an Economic Recovery Program, which marked a dramatic reversal from a state-controlled, socialist economy towards a more open, free market system. Results through the first decade have proven encouraging.

Area

land

196,850 sq km

total

214,970 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

highest point

Mount Roraima 2,835 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 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, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 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

border countries

Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

total

2,462 km

Land use

arable land

2%

forests and woodland

84%

other

8% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

6%

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 29% (male 102,463; female 98,492) 15-64 years: 66% (male 232,857; female 229,598) 65 years and over: 5% (male 15,170; female 18,706) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

17.94 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

8.42 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

East Indian 51%, black 30%, mixed 14%, Amerindian 4%, white and Chinese 1%

Infant mortality rate

39.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu

Life expectancy at birth

female

67.15 years (2000 est.)

male

61.08 years

total population

64.04 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over has ever attended school

female

97.5% (1995 est.)

male

98.6%

total population

98.1%

Nationality

adjective

Guyanese

noun

Guyanese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-10.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

697,286

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 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.1% (2000 est.)

Religions

Christian 50%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 8%

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: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.11 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

Country name

conventional long form

Co-operative Republic of Guyana

conventional short form

Guyana

former

British Guiana

Data code

GY

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

(2) 54900 through 54909, 57960 through 57969

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL

consulate(s) general

New York

telephone

(202) 265-6900

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature

chief of state

President Bharrat JAGDEO (since NA August 1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President JAGAN

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 15 December 1997 (next to be held by January 2001); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December 1997)

FAX

(2) 59497

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 within the Commonwealth

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, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch

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

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)

election results

percent of vote by party - PPP 54%, PNC 41%, AFG 1%, TUF 1%; seats by party - PPP 29, PNC 22, AFG 1, TUF 1

elections

last held 15 December 1997 (next to be held by January 2001; this date was part of a negotiated settlement between the two main political parties following a dispute over the December elections)

National holiday

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Guyana or AFG [Rupert ROOPNARINE]; Democratic Labor Movement or DLM ; For a Good and Green Guyana or GGG ; Guyana Democratic Party or GDP ; Guyana Labor Party or GLP ; Guyanese Organization for Liberty and Democracy Party or GOLD [Anthony MEKDECI]; National Democratic Front or NDF ; National Republican Party or NRP ; People's Democratic Movement or PDM ; People's National Congress or PNC ; People's Progressive Party or PPP ; The United Force or TUF ; Working People's Alliance or WPA

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest and fishery potential not exploited

Budget

expenditures

$286.4 million, including capital expenditures of $86.6 million (1998)

revenues

$220.1 million

Currency

1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$1.4 billion (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

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

Economy - overview

Severe drought and political turmoil contributed to Guyana's negative growth of -1.8% for 1998 following six straight years of growth of 5% or better. Growth came back to a positive 1.8% in 1999. Underlying 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 continued support by international organizations. President JAGDEO, the former finance minister, is taking steps to reform the economy, including drafting an investment code and restructuring the inefficient and unresponsive public sector. Problems include a shortage of skilled labor and an inadequate and poorly maintained transportation system. Also, electricity has been in short supply; the privatization of the sector in August 1999 is expected to improve prospects. The government must persist in efforts to manage its sizable external debt and extend its privatization program.

Electricity - consumption

302 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

325 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

98.46%

hydro

1.54%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1 - 180.4 (December 1999), 178.0 (1999), 150.5 (1998), 142.4 (1997), 140.4 (1996), 142.0 (1995)

Exports

$574 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 25%, Canada 24%, UK 19%, Netherlands Antilles 11%, Jamaica 5% (1998)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.86 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

34.7%

industry

32.5%

services

32.8% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.8% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$620 million (c.i.f., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Imports - partners

US 28%, Trinidad and Tobago 21%, Netherlands Antilles 14%, UK 7%, Japan 5% (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

7.1% (1997 est.)

Industries

bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp), textiles, gold mining

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.5% (1999 est.)

Labor force

245,492 (1992)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

12% (1992 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

420,000 (1997)

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 - main lines in use

45,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1,243 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

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

Televisions

46,000 (1997)

Airports

51 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

46 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 37 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

590 km

total

7,970 km

unpaved

7,380 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 1 (1999 est.)

total

1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,023 GRT/1,972 DWT

Ports and harbors

Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika

Railways

narrow gauge

48 km 0.914-m gauge

standard gauge

139 km 1.435-m gauge

total

187 km (all dedicated to ore transport)

Waterways

5,900 km total of navigable waterways; Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$7 million (FY94)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.7% (FY94)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 203,742 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 153,530 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

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)

Illicit drugs

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

HAITI