Guyana

total: 95,000 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2020 est.)

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

.gy

total: 680,000 (2021 est.) percent of population: 85% (2021 est.)

general assessment: after many years of delays and legal challenges, the 2016 Telecommunications Act was brought into force in October 2020 by the newly elected government of the People s Party Progressive (PPP); the Telecommunications Act sets out a framework for enabling competition across all segments of the telecommunications sector in Guyana; the mobile market has been open to competition since 2001; the Telecommunications Act presents the country with the potential to benefit from a more level playing field that may attract new players, but nevertheless Guyana s relatively small size and low GDP may restrict it from reaching its full potential for some more years to come (2021) domestic: fixed-line teledensity is about 16 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity about 110 per 100 persons (2021) 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)

total subscriptions: 125,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions: 856,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (2021 est.)

sugarcane, rice, plantains, papayas, cassava, pumpkins/squash, chicken, milk, eggplants, ginger (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

revenues: $1.333 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $1.467 billion (2019 est.)

-$254.121 million (2022 est.) -$2.503 billion (2021 est.) -$396.533 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$1.631 billion (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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

Guyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar - 208.5 (2023 est.) 208.5 (2022 est.) 208.5 (2021 est.) 208.5 (2020 est.) 208.5 (2019 est.)

$11.536 billion (2022 est.) $4.64 billion (2021 est.) $2.799 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

crude petroleum, gold, rice, aluminum ore, liquor (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Panama 32%, Netherlands 15%, US 13%, UAE 6%, Italy 6% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

$16.786 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

household consumption: 71.1% (2017 est.) government consumption: 18.2% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25.4% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 47.8% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -63% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 10% (2022 est.) industry: 67.8% (2022 est.) services: 19.3% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

$7.067 billion (2022 est.) $6.611 billion (2021 est.) $3.756 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, valves, iron pipes, construction vehicles, cars (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

US 28%, China 14%, Brazil 7%, Trinidad and Tobago 7%, Suriname 4% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

98.53% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

2.82% (2023 est.) 6.12% (2022 est.) 5.03% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

295,000 (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

52.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

$40.539 billion (2023 est.) $30.476 billion (2022 est.) $18.647 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

33.02% (2023 est.) 63.44% (2022 est.) 20.01% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

$49,800 (2023 est.) $37,700 (2022 est.) $23,200 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

3.27% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.57% of GDP (2022 est.) 6.81% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$895.275 million (2023 est.) $917.877 million (2022 est.) $790.785 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

28.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

12.43% (2023 est.) 12.42% (2022 est.) 14.93% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

total: 25.9% (2023 est.) male: 21.5% (2023 est.) female: 32.4% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

2.499 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.491 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from consumed natural gas: 8,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

imports: (2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton

installed generating capacity: 385,000 kW (2022 est.) consumption: 904.608 million kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 233.463 million kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - total population: 93% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 98% electrification - rural areas: 91.6%

fossil fuels: 98.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) solar: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) biomass and waste: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

42.797 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

consumption: 3.981 million cubic meters (2022 est.) imports: 3.981 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

total petroleum production: 391,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 16,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

particulate matter emissions: 11.11 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 2.38 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 1.81 megatons (2020 est.)

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

water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation

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

agricultural land: 8.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 2.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 6.2% (2018 est.) forest: 77.4% (2018 est.) other: 14.2% (2018 est.)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

4.56% of GDP (2018 est.)

271 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal: 60 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.) agricultural: 1.36 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

urban population: 27.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 179,252 tons (2010 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 968 tons (2010 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 0.5% (2010 est.)

total : 214,969 sq km land: 196,849 sq km water: 18,120 sq km

slightly smaller than Idaho; almost twice the size of Tennessee

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

459 km

highest point: Laberintos del Norte on Mount Roraima 2,775 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 207 m

5 00 N, 59 00 W

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

1,430 sq km (2012)

total: 2,933 km border countries (3): Brazil 1,308 km; Suriname 836 km; Venezuela 789 km

agricultural land: 8.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 2.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 6.2% (2018 est.) forest: 77.4% (2018 est.) other: 14.2% (2018 est.)

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

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km)

South America

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

flash flood threat during rainy seasons

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

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

mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

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

name: Georgetown geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 09 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: when the British took possession of the town from the Dutch in 1812, they renamed it Georgetown in honor of King GEORGE III (1738-1820)

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: na

history: several previous; latest promulgated 6 October 1980 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

conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana 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)

chief of mission: Ambassador Nicole THERIOT (since 14 October 2023) embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170 telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909 FAX: [592] 225-8497 email address and website: acsgeorge@state.gov https://gy.usembassy.gov/

chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel Archibald HINDS (since 7 July 2021) chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297 email address and website: guyanaembassydc@verizon.net http://www.guyanaembassydc.org/ consulate(s) general: New York

chief of state: President Mohammed Irfaan ALI (since 2 August 2020) head of government: President Mohammed Irfaan ALI (since 2 August 2020) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to 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 2 March 2020 (next to be held in 2025); prime minister appointed by the president election results: 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 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

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; also referred to by its nickname The Golden Arrowhead

parliamentary republic

26 May 1966 (from the UK)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

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); 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

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

description: unicameral National Assembly (70 seats; 40 members directly elected in single-seat, nationwide constituencies, 25 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies -- all by closed-list proportional representation vote, 2 non-elected ministers, 2 non-elected parliamentary secretaries, and the speaker; members serve 5-year terms) elections: last held on 2 March 2020 (next to be held in 2025) election results: percent of vote by party - PPP/C 50.69%, APNU-AFC 47.34%, LJP 0.58%, ANUG 0.5%, TNM 0.05%, other 0.84%; seats by party - PPP/C 33, APNU-AFC 31, LJP-ANUG-TNM 1; composition - men 43, women 28, percentage women 39.4%; note - the initial results were declared invalid and a partial recount was conducted from 6 May to 8 June 2020, in which PPP/C was declared the winner

name: "Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains" lyrics/music: Archibald Leonard LUKERL/Robert Cyril Gladstone POTTER note: adopted 1966

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

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

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

18 years of age; universal

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.

the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) was established in 1965; its primary missions are defense of the country, including border security, assisting civil authorities with law and order as needed, and contributing to Guyana s economic development; key areas of concern include disaster response, 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; the GDF s ground force officers are trained at the British Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, while coast guard officers receive training at the British Royal Naval College 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 (2024)

the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) is a unified force with ground, air, and coast guard components, as well as the Guyana National Reserve (2024) note: the Guyana Police Force under the Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for internal security

approximately 3,500 active-duty military personnel (2024)

the military has a limited inventory comprised mostly of older or second-hand platforms from a variety of foreign suppliers, including Brazil, China, the former Soviet Union, the UK, and the US (2024)

0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2019 est.)

18-25 years of age or older for voluntary military service; no conscription (2024)

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)

total: 5.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

16.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

9.4% (2019)

29.9% (2019/20)

5.5% of GDP (2020)

62.6% (2023 est.)

7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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.

total dependency ratio: 53.6 youth dependency ratio: 44.1 elderly dependency ratio: 9.5 potential support ratio: 10.6 (2021 est.)

improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 95.6% of population total: 96.8% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 4.4% of population total: 3.2% of population (2020 est.)

4.5% of GDP (2018 est.)

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

1 (2024 est.)

1.7 beds/1,000 population (2016)

total: 21.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 23.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.3 deaths/1,000 live births

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

total population: 72.4 years (2024 est.) male: 70.6 years female: 74.3 years

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 88.8% male: 89.3% female: 88.4% (2021)

110,000 GEORGETOWN (capital) (2018)

112 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

total: 28.3 years (2024 est.) male: 28.2 years female: 28.4 years

20.8 years (2009 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29

noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese

-6.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

20.2% (2016)

1.42 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

total: 794,099 male: 405,244 female: 388,855 (2024 est.)

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

0.32% (2024 est.)

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.)

improved: urban: 97.8% of population rural: 95.4% of population total: 96% of population unimproved: urban: 2.2% of population rural: 4.6% of population total: 4% of population (2020 est.)

total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2012)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 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 total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total: 12.1% (2020 est.) male: 21.7% (2020 est.) female: 2.4% (2020 est.)

2.05 children born/woman (2024 est.)

urban population: 27.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

a transit country for cocaine destined for the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, and West Africa; growing domestic marijuana cultivation and consumption

refugees (country of origin): 21,676 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or received alternative legal stay) (2023)

51 (2024)

8R

total: 80 (2023) by type: general cargo 45, oil tanker 10, other 25

total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam

total: 3,995 km paved: 799 km unpaved: 3,196 km (2019)

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