2019 Edition

CIA World Factbook 2019 Archive (Wayback Machine)

1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Countries

267

Data Records

66,981

Guyana

2019 Edition · 304 data fields

View Current Profile

Introduction

Background

Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to settlement of urban areas by former slaves and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. The resulting ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been 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. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was elected in 2001 and again in 2006. Early elections held in May 2015 resulted in the first change in governing party and the replacement of President Donald RAMOTAR by current President David GRANGER. After a December 2018 no-confidence vote against the GRANGER government, national elections will be held before the scheduled spring 2020 date.

Geography

Area

Land: 196,849 sq km
Total: 214,969 sq km
Water: 18,120 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly smaller than Idaho; almost twice the size of Tennessee

Climate

tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January)

Coastline

459 km

Elevation

Highest Point: Laberintos del Norte on Mount Roraima 2,775 m
Lowest Point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean Elevation: 207 m

Environment Current Issues

water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation

Environment International Agreements

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

Geographic Coordinates

5 00 N, 59 00 W

Geography Note

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; contains some of the largest unspoiled rainforests on the continent

Irrigated Land

1,430 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

Border Countries: Brazil 1308 km, Suriname 836 km, Venezuela 789 km
Total: 2,933 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land: 8.4% (2011 est.)
Agricultural Land Arable Land: 2.1% (2011 est.)
Agricultural Land Permanent Crops: 0.1% (2011 est.)
Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture: 6.2% (2011 est.)
Forest: 77.4% (2011 est.)
Other: 14.2% (2011 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 Economic Zone: 200 nm
Territorial Sea: 12 nm

Natural Hazards

flash flood threat during rainy seasons

Natural Resources

bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Population Distribution

population is heavily concentrated in the northeast in and around Georgetown, with noteable concentrations along the Berbice River to the east; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated

Terrain

mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

People and Society

Age Structure

0 14 Years: 25.38% (male 95,740 /female 92,282)
15 24 Years: 21.55% (male 81,676 /female 77,942)
25 54 Years: 38.52% (male 149,199 /female 136,129)
55 64 Years: 8.15% (male 27,684 /female 32,678)
65 Years And Over: 6.39% (male 19,336 /female 28,019) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

15.4 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

8.2% (2014)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

33.9% (2014)

Current Health Expenditure

4.2% (2016)

Death Rate

7.4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Demographic Profile

Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America and shares cultural and historical bonds with the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana's two largest ethnic groups are the Afro-Guyanese (descendants of African slaves) and the Indo-Guyanese (descendants of Indian indentured laborers), which together comprise about three quarters of Guyana's population. Tensions periodically have boiled over between the two groups, which back ethnically based political parties and vote along ethnic lines. Poverty reduction has stagnated since the late 1990s. About one-third of the Guyanese population lives below the poverty line; indigenous people are disproportionately affected. Although Guyana's literacy rate is reported to be among the highest in the Western Hemisphere, the level of functional literacy is considerably lower, which has been attributed to poor education quality, teacher training, and infrastructure.Guyana's emigration rate is among the highest in the world - more than 55% of its citizens reside abroad - and it is one of the largest recipients of remittances relative to GDP among Latin American and Caribbean counties. Although remittances are a vital source of income for most citizens, the pervasive emigration of skilled workers deprives Guyana of professionals in healthcare and other key sectors. More than 80% of Guyanese nationals with tertiary level educations have emigrated. Brain drain and the concentration of limited medical resources in Georgetown hamper Guyana's ability to meet the health needs of its predominantly rural population. Guyana has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the region and continues to rely on international support for its HIV treatment and prevention programs.

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio: 7.7 (2015 est.)
Potential Support Ratio: 13.3 (2015 est.)
Total Dependency Ratio: 53.5 (2015 est.)
Youth Dependency Ratio: 45.8 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural: 98.3% of population
Improved Total: 98.3% of population
Improved Urban: 98.2% of population
Unimproved Rural: 1.7% of population
Unimproved Total: 1.7% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Urban: 1.8% of population

Education Expenditures

6.3% of GDP (2017)

Ethnic Groups

East Indian 39.8%, African descent 29.3%, mixed 19.9%, Amerindian 10.5%, other 0.5% (includes Portuguese, Chinese, white) (2012 est.)

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

1.4% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

<200 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

8,200 (2018 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

1.6 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female: 25.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Male: 33.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 29.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

English (official), Guyanese Creole, Amerindian languages (including Caribbean and Arawak languages), Indian languages (including Caribbean Hindustani, a dialect of Hindi), Chinese (2014 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female: 72.1 years
Male: 65.9 years
Total Population: 68.9 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
Female: 89.8% (2015)
Male: 87.2%
Total Population: 88.5%

Major Infectious Diseases

Degree Of Risk: very high (2016)
Food Or Waterborne Diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)
Vectorborne Diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

110,000 GEORGETOWN (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

667 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female: 27 years
Male: 26.3 years
Total: 26.7 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

20.8 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

Adjective: Guyanese
Noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)

Net Migration Rate

-3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

20.2% (2016)

Physicians Density

0.8 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

740,685 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.48% (2018 est.)

Religions

Protestant 34.8% (Pentecostal 22.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Anglican 5.2%, Methodist 1.4%), Hindu 24.8%, Roman Catholic 7.1%, Muslim 6.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 0.5%, other Christian 20.8%, other 0.9%, none 3.1% (2012 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural: 82% of population (2015 est.)
Improved Total: 83.7% of population (2015 est.)
Improved Urban: 87.9% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Rural: 18% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Total: 16.3% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Urban: 12.1% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female: 12 years (2012)
Male: 11 years
Total: 11 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15 24 Years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25 54 Years: 1.1 male(s)/female
55 64 Years: 0.85 male(s)/female
65 Years And Over: 0.69 male(s)/female
At Birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Total Population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.97 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female: 28% (2017 est.)
Male: 17.3%
Total: 21.6%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization: 0.83% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Urban Population: 26.7% of total population (2019)

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

Geographic Coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 09 W
Name: Georgetown
Time Difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

Citizenship By Birth: yes
Citizenship By Descent Only: yes
Dual Citizenship Recognized: no
Residency Requirement For Naturalization: na

Constitution

Amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, such as national sovereignty, government structure and powers, and constitutional amendment procedures, requires approval by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum, and assent of the president; other amendments only require Assembly approval; amended many times, last in 2016 (2018)
History: several previous; latest promulgated 6 October 1980

Country Name

Conventional Long Form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana
Conventional Short Form: Guyana
Etymology: the name is derived from Guiana, the original name for the region that included British Guiana, Dutch Guiana, and French Guiana; ultimately the word is derived from an indigenous Amerindian language and means "Land of Many Waters" (referring to the area's multitude of rivers and streams)
Former: British Guiana

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission: Ambassador Sarah-Ann LYNCH (since 13 March 2019)
Embassy: US Embassy, 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
Fax: [592] 225-8497
Mailing Address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown; US Embassy, 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170
Telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
Chief Of Mission: Ambassador Riyad David INSANALLY (since 16 Sept 2016)
Consulate's General: New York
Fax: [1] (202) 232-1297
Telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900

Executive Branch

Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
Chief Of State: President David GRANGER (since 16 May 2015); Vice Presidents Sydney ALLICOCK, Carl Barrington GREENIDGE, Moses Veerasammy NAGAMOOTOO, and Hemraj RAMJATTAN (since 20 May 2015); Prime Minister Moses Veerasammy NAGAMOOTOO (since 20 May 2015); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Election Results: David GRANGER (APNU-AFC) designated president by the majority party in the National Assembly
Elections Appointments: the predesignated candidate of the winning party in the last National Assembly election becomes president for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 11 May 2015 (next to be held no later than 2020); prime minister appointed by the president
Head Of Government: President David GRANGER (since 16 May 2015); Vice Presidents Sydney ALLICOCK, Carl Barrington GREENIDGE, Moses Veerasammy NAGAMOOTOO, and Hemraj RAMJATTAN (since 20 May 2015); Prime Minister Moses Veerasammy NAGAMOOTOO (since 20 May 2015)

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; green represents forest and foliage; yellow stands for mineral resources and a bright future; white symbolizes Guyana's rivers; red signifies zeal and the sacrifice of the people; black indicates perseverance

Government Type

parliamentary republic

Independence

26 May 1966 (from the UK)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International Organization Participation

ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts: Supreme Court of Judicature (consists of the Court of Appeal with a chief justice and 3 justices, and the High Court with a chief justice and 10 justices organized into 3- or 5-judge panels); note - in 2009, Guyana acceded to the Caribbean Court of Justice as the final court of appeal in civil and criminal cases, replacing that of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
Judge Selection And Term Of Office: Court of Appeal and High Court chief justices appointed by the president; other judges of both courts appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a body appointed by the president; judges appointed for life with retirement at age 65
Subordinate Courts: Land Court; magistrates' courts

Legal System

common law system, based on the English model, with some Roman-Dutch civil law influence

Legislative Branch

Description: unicameral National Assembly (65 seats; 40 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency and 25 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - all by closed list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
Election Results: percent of vote by party - APNU-AFC 50.3%, PPP/C 49.2%, other 0.5%; seats by party - APNU-AFC 33, PPP/C 32; composition - men 44, women 21, percent of women 32.3%
Elections: last held on 11 May 2015 (next to be held on 2 March 2020)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music: Archibald Leonard LUKERL/Robert Cyril Gladstone POTTER
Name: Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains

National Holiday

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

National Symbol S

Canje pheasant (hoatzin), jaguar, Victoria Regia water lily; national colors: red, yellow, green, black, white

Political Parties And Leaders

A Partnership for National Unity or APNU [David A. GRANGER] Alliance for Change or AFC [Raphael TROTMAN] Justice for All Party [C.N. SHARMA] National Independent Party or NIP [Saphier Husain SUBEDAR] People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Donald RAMOTAR] The United Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR] United Republican Party or URP [Vishnu BANDHU]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Economy

Agriculture Products

sugarcane, rice, edible oils; beef, pork, poultry; shrimp, fish

Budget

Expenditures: 1.164 billion (2017 est.)
Revenues: 1.002 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-4.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2010: 4.25%
31 December 2011: 5.5%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016: 13%
31 December 2017: 13%

Current Account Balance

2016: $13 million
2017: -$237 million

Debt External

31 December 2016: $1.542 billion
31 December 2017: $1.69 billion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

1999: 43.2
2007: 44.6

Economy Overview

The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in recent years and is based largely on agriculture and extractive industries. The economy is heavily dependent upon the export of six commodities - sugar, gold, bauxite, shrimp, timber, and rice - which represent nearly 60% of the country's GDP and are highly susceptible to adverse weather conditions and fluctuations in commodity prices. Guyana closed or consolidated several sugar estates in 2017, reducing production of sugar to a forecasted 147,000 tons in 2018, less than half of 2017 production. Much of Guyana's growth in recent years has come from a surge in gold production. With a record-breaking 700,000 ounces of gold produced in 2016, Gold production in Guyana has offset the economic effects of declining sugar production. In January 2018, estimated 3.2 billion barrels of oil were found offshore and Guyana is scheduled to become a petroleum producer by March 2020.Guyana's entrance into the Caricom Single Market and Economy in January 2006 broadened the country's export market, primarily in the raw materials sector. Guyana has experienced positive growth almost every year over the past decade. Inflation has been kept under control. Recent years have seen the government's stock of debt reduced significantly - with external debt now less than half of what it was in the early 1990s. Despite these improvements, the government is still juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. In March 2007, the Inter-American Development Bank, Guyana's principal donor, canceled Guyana's nearly $470 million debt, equivalent to 21% of GDP, which along with other Highly Indebted Poor Country debt forgiveness, brought the debt-to-GDP ratio down from 183% in 2006 to 52% in 2017. Guyana had become heavily indebted as a result of the inward-looking, state-led development model pursued in the 1970s and 1980s. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure.

Exchange Rates

2013: 206.45
2014: 206.5
2015: 206.5
2016: 206.5
2017: 207
Currency: Guyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar -

Exports

2016: $1.38 billion
2017: $1.439 billion

Exports Commodities

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

Exports Partners

Canada 24.9%, US 16.5%, Panama 9.6%, UK 7.7%, Jamaica 5.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 5% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services: 47.8% (2017 est.)
Government Consumption: 18.2% (2017 est.)
Household Consumption: 71.1% (2017 est.)
Imports Of Goods And Services: -63% (2017 est.)
Investment In Fixed Capital: 25.4% (2017 est.)
Investment In Inventories: 0% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture: 15.4% (2017 est.)
Industry: 15.3% (2017 est.)
Services: 69.3% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$3.561 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015: $7,800
2016: $8,000
2017: $8,100

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015: $5.969 billion
2016: $6.169 billion
2017: $6.301 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015: 3.1%
2016: 3.4%
2017: 2.1%

Gross National Saving

2015: 8.8% of GDP
2016: 15% of GDP
2017: 10.5% of GDP

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10: 33.8% (1999)
Lowest 10: 1.3%

Imports

2016: $1.341 billion
2017: $1.626 billion

Imports Commodities

manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Imports Partners

Trinidad and Tobago 27.5%, US 26.5%, China 8.9%, Suriname 6.1% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

-5% (2017 est.)

Industries

bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016: 0.8%
2017: 2%

Labor Force

313,800 (2013 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

31 December 2010: $339.8 million
31 December 2011: $440.4 million
31 December 2012: $610.9 million

Population Below Poverty Line

35% (2006 est.)

Public Debt

2016: 50.7% of GDP
2017: 52.2% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016: $581 million
31 December 2017: $565.4 million

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016: $701.4 million
31 December 2017: $758.4 million

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016: $1.875 billion
31 December 2017: $1.903 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016: $701.4 million
31 December 2017: $758.4 million

Taxes And Other Revenues

28.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2012: 11.3%
2013: 11.1%

Energy

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants: 9 (2017 est.)
Total: 64,889

Broadcast Media

government-dominated broadcast media; the National Communications Network (NCN) TV is state-owned; a few private TV stations relay satellite services; the state owns and operates 2 radio stations broadcasting on multiple frequencies capable of reaching the entire country; government limits on licensing of new private radio stations has constrained competition in broadcast media

Internet Country Code

.gy

Internet Users

Percent Of Population: 35.7% (July 2016 est.)
Total: 262,425

Telephone System

Domestic: fixed-line teledensity is about 20 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity about 87 per 100 persons (2018)
General Assessment: reliable international long distance service; 100% digital network; national transmission supported by fiber optic cable and rural network by microwaves; more than 150,000 lines; many areas still lack fixed-line telephone services; 2019 budget allocates funds for ICT (Information and Communications Technology) development (2018)
International: country code - 592; landing point for the SG-SCS submarine cable to Suriname, and the Caribbean; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants: 18 (2017 est.)
Total Subscriptions: 135,795

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants: 87 (2017 est.)
Total Subscriptions: 643,210

Transportation

Airports

117 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M: 2 (2017)
914 To 1 523 M: 1 (2017)
Total: 11 (2017)
Under 914 M: 8 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M: 1 (2013)
914 To 1 523 M: 16 (2013)
Total: 106 (2013)
Under 914 M: 89 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

8R (2016)

Merchant Marine

By Type: general cargo 26, oil tanker 7, other 22 (2018)
Total: 55

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers: 0 mt-km (2015)
Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers: 43,835 (2015)
Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers: 12 (2015)
Number Of Registered Air Carriers: 2 (2015)

Ports And Terminals

Georgetown

Roadways

Paved: 799 km (2019)
Total: 3,995 km (2019)
Unpaved: 3,196 km (2019)

Waterways

330 km (the Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively) (2012)

Military and Security

Military And Security Forces

Guyana Defense Force: Army, Air Corps, Coast Guard (2019)

Military Expenditures

2014: 1.28% of GDP
2015: 1.46% of GDP
2016: 1.51% of GDP
2017: 1.68% of GDP
2018: 1.69% of GDP

Military Service Age And Obligation

18 years of age or older for voluntary military service; no conscription (2014)

Transnational Issues

Disputes International

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 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (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

Illicit Drugs

transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis; rising money laundering related to drug trafficking and human smuggling

Trafficking In Persons

Current Situation: Guyana is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor – children are particularly vulnerable; women and girls from Guyana, Venezuela, Suriname, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic are forced into prostitution in Guyana’s interior mining communities and urban areas; forced labor is reported in mining, agriculture, forestry, domestic service, and shops; Guyanese nationals are also trafficked to Suriname, Jamaica, and other Caribbean countries for sexual exploitation and forced labor
Tier Rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Guyana does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Guyana was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; the government released its anti-trafficking action plan in June 2014 but made uneven efforts to implement it; law enforcement was weak, investigating seven trafficking cases, prosecuting four alleged traffickers, and convicting one trafficker – a police officer – who was released on bail pending appeal; in 2014, as in previous years, Guyanese courts dismissed the majority of ongoing trafficking prosecutions; the government referred some victims to care services, which were provided by NGOs with little or no government support (2015)