2020 Edition

Background

Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to former slaves settling urban areas and indentured servants being imported 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 primarily socialist-oriented governments have ruled the country. 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. Donald RAMOTAR won in 2011, but early elections held in 2015 resulted in the first change in governing party, and David GRANGER took office. After a 2018 no-confidence vote against the GRANGER government, the administration ignored a constitutional requirement to hold elections and remained in place until the 2020 elections, when Irfaan ALI became president. The discovery of massive offshore oil reserves in 2015 has been Guyana's primary economic and political focus, with many hoping the reserves will transform one of the poorest countries in the region. Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America and shares cultural and historical bonds with the Anglophone Caribbean.

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

Geographic coordinates

5 00 N, 59 00 W

Geography - note

the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay; contains some of the largest unspoiled rainforests on the continent

Irrigated land

1,430 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Brazil 1,308 km; Suriname 836 km; Venezuela 789 km

total

2,933 km

Land use

agricultural land

3.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 2.8% (2023 est.)

forest

87.1% (2023 est.)

other

9.5% (2023 est.)

Location

Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage

Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km)

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 notable 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

Age structure

0-14 years

23.5% (male 95,223/female 91,272)

15-64 years

68.4% (male 281,669/female 261,261)

65 years and over

8.1% (2024 est.) (male 28,352/female 36,322)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

2.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

5.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

16.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

11.9% (2020)

women married by age 15

6.3% (2020)

women married by age 18

32.3% (2020)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

9.4% (2019 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

59% (2020 est.)

Death rate

7.05 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

11.9 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio

8.4 (2024 est.)

total dependency ratio

46.3 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio

34.3 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 95.8% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 95.9% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 96% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 4.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 4.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 4% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

4.5% of GDP (2018 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

7.2% national budget (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

1 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

4.9% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

10.5% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

18.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

23.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

20.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 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

74.3 years

male

70.6 years

total population

72.4 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

86.9% (2020 est.)

male

84.2% (2020 est.)

total population

85.6% (2020 est.)

Major urban areas - population

110,000 GEORGETOWN (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

75 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

28.4 years

male

28.2 years

total

28.7 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.8 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Guyanese

noun

Guyanese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-6.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.2% (2016)

Physician density

1.39 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

female

388,855

male

405,244

total

794,099 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

0.35% (2025 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 98.7% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.9% (2025 est.)

male

16.9% (2025 est.)

total

9.2% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.04 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

27.2% of total population (2023)

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

etymology

the British founded the town in 1781 and named it in honor of King GEORGE III (1738-1820)

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

amendment process

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

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; the name Guiana may be derived from a local term meaning "Land of Water" (referring to the area's multitude of rivers and streams)

former

British Guiana

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Nicole THERIOT (since 14 October 2023)

email address and website

acsgeorge@state.gov https://gy.usembassy.gov/

embassy

100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown

FAX

[592] 225-8497

mailing address

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 Samuel Archibald HINDS (since 7 July 2021)

consulate(s) general

New York

email address and website

guyanaembassydc@verizon.net http://www.guyanaembassydc.org/

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 Mohammed Irfaan ALI (since 2 August 2020)

election results

2025: Mohammed Irfaan ALI (PPP/C) reelected president by the majority party in the National Assembly 2020: Mohammed Irfaan ALI (PPP/C) designated president by the majority party in the National Assembly 2015: David GRANGER (APNU-AFC) designated president by the majority party in the National Assembly

election/appointment process

the predesignated candidate of the winning party in the last National Assembly election becomes president for a 5-year term (no term limits); prime minister appointed by the president

expected date of next election

August 2030

head of government

President Mohammed Irfaan ALI (since 2 August 2020)

most recent election date

1 September 2025

Flag

description: green with a red isosceles triangle (based on the left side) on top of a long yellow arrowhead shape that extends to the opposite side of the flag; a narrow black border sits between the red and yellow, and a narrow white border between the yellow and green meaning: green stands for forest and foliage, yellow for mineral resources and a bright future, white for the rivers, red for zeal and the people's sacrifice, and black for 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, ACS, 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, PROSUR, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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); Caribbean Court of Justice is the final court of appeal in civil and criminal cases

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

chamber name

National Assembly

electoral system

proportional representation

expected date of next election

August 2030

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Parliament of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana

most recent election date

9/1/2025

number of seats

72 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) (36); We Invest in Nationhood (W.I.N.) (16); A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) (12); Other (1)

percentage of women in chamber

36.1%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1966

lyrics/music

Archibald Leonard LUKERL/Robert Cyril Gladstone POTTER

title

"Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains"

National coat of arms

Guyana’s coat of arms was adopted in 1966, the year of the country’s independence from the United Kingdom; the jaguars signify strength and resilience, with one holding a pickaxe that stands for labor and the other holding stalks of rice and sugarcane for agriculture; two national symbols, the Canje pheasant and the Victorian lily, are on the shield, with the national motto underneath; three wavy blue lines stand for the Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice rivers, the headdress for the country’s ethnic groups, and the diamonds for the mining industry; the helmet is a symbol of past UK rule in Guyana

National color(s)

red, yellow, green, black, white

National holiday

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

National symbol(s)

Canje pheasant (hoatzin), jaguar, Victoria Regia water lily

Political parties

A New and United Guyana or ANUG A Partnership for National Unity or APNU Alliance for Change or AFC Justice for All Party Liberty and Justice Party or LJP National Independent Party or NIP People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C The New Movement or TNM The United Force or TUF United Republican Party or URP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

rice, sugarcane, plantains, cassava, papayas, pumpkins/squash, chicken, milk, ginger, eggplants (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$1.467 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$1.333 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

-$1.36 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$4.242 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$2.352 billion (2023 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$1.805 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

small, hydrocarbon-driven South American export economy; major forest coverage being leveraged in carbon credit offsets to encourage preservation; strengthening financial sector; large bauxite and gold resources

Exchange rates

Currency

Guyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

208.5 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

208.5 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

208.5 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

208.5 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

208.5 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$4.594 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$11.517 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$13.739 billion (2023 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, railway cargo containers, gold, ships, rice (2023)

Exports - partners

USA 20%, Trinidad & Tobago 11%, Netherlands 10%, Singapore 10%, Germany 7% (2023)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

8% (2024 est.)

industry

74.3% (2024 est.)

services

15.3% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$24.836 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$6.588 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$7.033 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$10.956 billion (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, ships, construction vehicles, excavation machinery, cars (2023)

Imports - partners

USA 28%, China 13%, Trinidad & Tobago 11%, Brazil 5%, Bahamas, The 4% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

53.3% (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

6.1% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

2.8% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

2.9% (2024 est.)

Labor force

292,200 (2024 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

50.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$30.457 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$40.749 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$58.423 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

63.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

33.8% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

43.4% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$37,100 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$49,300 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$70,300 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

6.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

3.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

3.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$917.877 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$895.275 million (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$1.01 billion (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

12.1% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

12.1% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

10.2% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

28.1% (2024 est.)

male

17.4% (2024 est.)

total

22.3% (2024 est.)

Electricity

consumption

1.07 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

259,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

268.803 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

91.6%

electrification - total population

93% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

98%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

5.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

92.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

46.045 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

1.991 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

1.991 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

18,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

391,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

13 (2022 est.)

total

106,000 (2022 est.)

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; government limits on licensing of new private radio stations has constrained competition

Internet country code

.gy

Internet users

percent of population

82% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

15 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

125,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

106 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

856,000 (2021 est.)

Airports

55 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

8R

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 45, oil tanker 10, other 25

total

80 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam

large

0

medium

1

ports with oil terminals

3

small

0

total ports

3 (2024)

very small

2

Military - note

the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) was established in 1965; its primary missions are territorial defense, maritime security, search and rescue, medical evacuation, aviation and engineering support, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, peace support operations, and community engagement; key areas of concern include illegal fishing, narcotics trafficking, piracy, porous borders, and threats from Venezuela over disputed territory; the GDF participates in both bilateral and multinational exercises and has relationships with Brazil, China, France, the UK, and the US Guyana joined the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) in 2022; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025)

Military and security forces

the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) is a unified force with ground, air, and coast guard components, as well as the Guyana National Reserve (2026)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 3,500 active-duty Guyana Defense Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military has a limited inventory comprised mostly of older or secondhand platforms imported from a variety of foreign suppliers, including Brazil, China, India, the former Soviet Union, the UK, and the US (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

0.9% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age or older for voluntary military service; no conscription (2026)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

79 (2024 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from consumed natural gas

4,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

2.635 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

2.639 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

water pollution from sewage and agricultural/industrial chemicals; deforestation

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Methane emissions

agriculture

51.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

103 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

2.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

7.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

11.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

271 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.363 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

20.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

61.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

179,300 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

23% (2022 est.)