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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 53 usable: 48 with permanent-surface runways: 5 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 13

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

7,665 km total; 550 km paved, 5,000 km gravel, 1,525 km earth, 590 km unimproved

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

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 [time series]

1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,317 GRT/2,558 DWT

Ports [time series]

Georgetown, New Amsterdam

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

187 km total, all single track 0.914-meter gauge

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

fair system with radio relay network; over 27,000 telephones; tropospheric scatter link to Trinidad; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 3 FM, no TV, 1 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 196,960; fit for military service 149,583 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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 [time series]

revenues $121 million; expenditures $225 million, including capital expenditures of $50 million (1990 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

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 [time series]

253,500 kW capacity; 276 million kWh produced, 370 kWh per capita (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1 - 125.8 (January 1993) 125.0 (1992), 111.8 (1991), 39.533 (1990), 27.159 (1989), 10.000 (1988)

Exports [time series]

$268 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: sugar, bauxite/alumina, rice, gold, shrimp, molasses, timber, rum partners: UK 28%, US 25%, FRG 8%, Canada 7%, Japan 6% (1989)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$2 billion including arrears (1990)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$242.4 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: manufactures, machinery, food, petroleum partners: US 40%, Trinidad & Tobago 13%, UK 11%, Japan 5%, Netherland Antilles 3% (1989)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 12% (1990 est.); accounts for about 24% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

15% (1992)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $267.5 million (1992 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$370 (1992 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

7% (1992 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Guyana is one of the world's poorest countries with a per capita income less than one-fifth the South American average. After growing on average at less than 1% a year in 1986-87, GDP dropped by 5% a year in 1988-90. The decline resulted from bad weather, labor trouble in the cane fields, and flooding and equipment problems in the bauxite industry. Consumer prices rose about 100% in 1989 and 75% in 1990, and the current account deficit widened substantially as sugar and bauxite exports fell. Moreover, electric power has been in short supply and constitutes a major barrier to future gains in national output. The government, in association with international financial agencies, seeks to reduce its payment arrears and to raise new funds. The government's stabilization program - aimed at establishing realistic exchange rates, reasonable price stability, and a resumption of growth - requires considerable public administrative abilities and continued patience by consumers during a long incubation period. Buoyed by a recovery in mining and agriculture, the economy posted 6% growth in 1991 and 7% growth in 1992, according to official figures. A large volume of illegal and quasi-legal economic activity is not captured in estimates of the country's total output.

Unemployment rate [time series]

12%-15% (1991 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 214,970 km2 land area: 196,850 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Idaho

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

459 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

flash floods a constant threat during rainy seasons; water pollution

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

all of the area west of the Essequibo River claimed by Venezuela; Suriname claims area between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Koetari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne)

Irrigated land [time series]

1,300 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 2,462 km, Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 83% other: 8%

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf: 200 nm or the outer edge of continental margin exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

Georgetown

Constitution [time series]

6 October 1980

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Odeen ISHMAEL chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 265-6900 consulate general: New York

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

Executive President: last held on 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 National Assembly: 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

Executive branch [time series]

executive president, first vice president, prime minister, first deputy prime minister, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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 [time series]

26 May 1966 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of Judicature

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State: Executive President Cheddi JAGAN (since 5 October 1992); First Vice President Sam HINDS (since 5 October 1992) Head of Government: Prime Minister Sam HINDS (since 5 October 1992)

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, C, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana

National holiday [time series]

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

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 (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE; People's Party (PPP), Cheddi JAGAN; 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 [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador George Jones embassy: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown telephone: [592] (2) 54900 through 54909 and 57960 through 57969 FAX: [592] (2) 58497

People

Birth rate [time series]

20.47 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.39 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

East Indian 51%, black and mixed 43%, Amerindian 4%, European and Chinese 2%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

49.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

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 [time series]

English, Amerindian dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 64.7 years male: 61.46 years female: 68.1 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over having ever attended scool (1990) total population: 95% male: 98% female: 96%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese

Net migration rate [time series]

-19.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

734,640 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-0.68% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1%

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.35 children born/woman (1993 est.)