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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: 12

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 7,665 km paved: 550 km unpaved: gravel 5,000 km; earth 2,115 km

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]

no public railroads; about 100 km of narrow gauge industrial railroads to transport minerals, including bauxite

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 15-49 197,802; fit for military service 150,072

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]

recipient: 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]

capacity: 253,500 kW production: 276 million kWh consumption per capita: 370 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1 - 130.7 (January 1994), 126.7 (1993), 125.0 (1992), 111.8 (1991), 39.533 (1990), 27.159 (1989)

Exports [time series]

$400 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: sugar, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses partners: UK 33%, US 31%, Canada 9%, France 5%, Japan 3%, (1992)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$1.9 billion including arrears (1992 est)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$520 million (c.i.f., 1993 est.) commodities: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food partners: US 37%, Trinidad and Tobago 13%, UK 11%, Italy 8%, Japan 5% (1992)

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

growth rate 11% (1991 est.); accounts for about 11% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

7% (1993

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

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $1.4 billion (1993 est.)

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

$1,900 (1993 est.)

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

8.3% (1993 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, has pushed ahead strongly in 1991-93, at 7% average annual growth rate. Favorable factors include recovery in the key agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiative, a more realistic exchange rate, a sharp drop in the 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 will have to persist in efforts to control external debt and inflation and to extend the privatization program.

Unemployment rate [time series]

12% (1992 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 214,970 sq km land area: 196,850 sq km 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]

current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation natural hazards: flash floods a constant threat during rainy seasons international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber; signed, but not ratifed - Biodiversity, Climate Change

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/Kutari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne)

Irrigated land [time series]

1,300 sq km (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. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 265-6900 through 6903

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Executive President Cheddi JAGAN (since 5 October 1992); First Vice President Sam HINDS (since 5 October 1992); election 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 head of government: Prime Minister Sam HINDS (since 5 October 1992) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers; appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature

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

[592] (2) 58497

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

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

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, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, ONUSAL, 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

Legislative branch (National Assembly) [time series]

elections 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

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 Progressive Party (PPP), Cheddi JAGAN; People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE;; People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE; 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 F. Jones embassy: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingstown, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown telephone: [592] (2) 54900 through 54909 and 57960 through 57969

People

Birth rate [time series]

19.95 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.36 deaths/1,000 population (1994 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]

48.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 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: 64.9 years male: 61.66 years female: 68.3 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese

Net migration rate [time series]

-20.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

729,425 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-0.75% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.29 children born/woman (1994 est.)