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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 1

Radios [time series]

398,000 (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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 - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

33,000 (1987 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

11 (1995 est.)

Televisions [time series]

32,000 (1992 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; development potential exists for fishing and forestry

Budget [time series]

revenues: $209 million expenditures: $303 million, including capital expenditures of $109 million (1995 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents

Debt - external [time series]

$1.5 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient : ODA, $NA

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

In 1996, Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, posted its fifth straight year of economic growth of 5% or better, with the advance led by gold and bauxite mining and by sugar. Favorable 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 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 must persist in efforts to manage its sizable external debt and extend its privatization program.

Electricity - capacity [time series]

157,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita [time series]

301 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

318 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1 - 140.3 (February 1997), 141.1 (December 1996), 140.4 (1996), 142.0 (1995), 138.3 (1994), 126.7 (1993), 125.0 (1992)

Exports [time series]

total value: $565 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities : sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses partners: Canada 33%, US 24%, UK 22% (1994 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $1.8 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 49% industry: 28% services: 33% (1995 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $2,490 (1996 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

7.9% (1996 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $589 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food partners : US 29%, Trinidad and Tobago 17%, Netherlands Antilles 17%, UK 11%, (1994 est.)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

5.6% (1994 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate - consumer price index) [time series]

4.5% (1996 est.)

Labor force [time series]

Unemployment rate [time series]

12% (1992 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 214,970 sq km land: 196,850 sq km water : 18,120 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

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

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Tropical Timber 94

Geographic coordinates [time series]

5 00 N, 59 00 W

Irrigated land [time series]

1,300 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land : 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 84% other: 8% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

South America

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

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

Constitution [time series]

6 October 1980

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Hugh SIMON embassy: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown telephone: [592] (2) 54900 through 54909, 57960 through 57969

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL chancery : 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900, 6901 consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Executive President Samuel HINDS (since March 1997); replaced Cheddi JAGAN who died in office, March 1997 head of government: Prime Minister Janet JAGAN (since March 1997); filled vacancy created when Samuel HINDS ascended to office of Executive President following death of Cheddi JAGAN, March 1997 cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature elections: president elected by the majority party in the National Assembly after legislative elections, which must be held within five years; legislative elections last held 5 October 1992 (next to be held NA 1997); prime minister appointed by the president

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

[592] (2) 58497

Flag (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

26 May 1966 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

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

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 National Assembly (65 seats, 53 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 5 October 1992 (next to be held by October 1997) election results: percent of vote by party - PPP 53.4%, PNC 42.3%, WPA 2%, TUF 1.2%; seats by party - PPP 36, PNC 26, WPA 2, TUF 1

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Georgetown

National holiday [time series]

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

People's Progressive Party (PPP), People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE; For a Good and Green Guyana (GGG), Hamilton GREEN; Working People's Alliance (WPA), 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); Guyana Democratic Party (GDP), Asgar ALLY; Guyanese Organized for Liberty and Democracy Party (GOLD), Anthony MEKDECI

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [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

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$7 million (1994)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

1.7% (1994)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 198,350 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males: 150,105 (1997 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 32% (male 115,120; female 110,741) 15-64 years: 63% (male 225,199; female 222,793) 65 years and over : 5% (male 14,563; female 17,700) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

18.71 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate [time series]

10.02 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

51.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages [time series]

English, Amerindian dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 59.27 years male : 56.93 years female: 61.74 years (1997 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition : age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98.1% male: 98.6% female: 97.5% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese

Net migration rate [time series]

-16.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population [time series]

706,116 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-0.78% (1997 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.16 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [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)

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Transportation

Airports [time series]

47 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m : 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m : 32 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 9 (1996 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 7,820 km paved: 571 km unpaved : 7,249 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total : 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,317 GRT/2,558 DWT (1996 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika

Railways [time series]

total: 88 km standard gauge: 40 km 1.435-m gauge (dedicated to ore transport) narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge (dedicated to ore transport)

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