Guyana

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $7 million, 1.7% of GDP (1994)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49: 197,548 males fit for military service: 149,646 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 1

Radios

398,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

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

33,000 (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

0 (1987 est.)

Televisions

32,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Agriculture

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

Budget

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

Currency

1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview

In 1995, 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 mining and by production of rice, sugar, and forestry products for export. 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 must persist in efforts to manage its $2 billion external debt, control inflation, and extend the privatization program.

Electricity

capacity: 110,000 kW production: 230 million kWh consumption per capita: 286 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1 - 140.3 (January 1996), 142.0 (1995), 138.3 (1994), 126.7 (1993), 125.0 (1992), 111.8 (1991)

Exports

$453 million (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: sugar, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses partners: UK 33%, US 31%, Canada 9%, France 5%, Japan 3% (1992)

External debt

$2.2 billion (1994 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.6 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: 26.5% industry: 27.8% services: 45.7% (1993 est.)

GDP per capita

$2,200 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

5.1% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

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

Imports

$456 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food partners: US 37%, Trinidad and Tobago 13%, UK 11%, Italy 8%, Japan 5% (1992)

Industrial production growth rate

5.6% (1994 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.1% (1995)

Labor force

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)

Unemployment rate

12% (1992 est.)

Area

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

Climate

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

Coastline

459 km

Environment

current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Whaling

Geographic coordinates

5 00 N, 59 00 W

International disputes

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

1,300 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

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

Location

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

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

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

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

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

Georgetown

Constitution

6 October 1980

Data code

GY

Diplomatic representation in US

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

chief of state: Executive President Cheddi JAGAN (since 9 October 1992); the president is 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); results - Cheddi JAGAN was elected president by the PPP head of government: Prime Minister Sam HINDS (since 9 October 1992) was appointed by the president cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers was appointed by the president; is responsible to the legislature

FAX

[592] (2) 58497

Flag

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

26 May 1966 (from UK)

International organization participation

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, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Judicature

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

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

National Assembly

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

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Other political or pressure groups

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 and leaders

People's Progressive Party (PPP), Cheddi JAGAN; People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE; Good and Green Georgetown (GGG), Hamilton GREEN; 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

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador David L. HOBBS 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

Age structure

0-14 years: 33% (male 118,796; female 114,327) 15-64 years: 63% (male 224,219; female 222,562) 65 years and over: 4% (male 14,582; female 17,605) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

19.03 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

9.55 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

51.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

English, Amerindian dialects

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 60.1 years male: 57.55 years female: 62.78 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese

Net migration rate

-18.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

712,091 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.9% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

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: 0.83 male(s)/female all ages: 1.01 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.19 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 47 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 3 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 32 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 9 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: 7,621 km paved: 547 km unpaved: 7,074 km (1987 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,317 GRT/2,558 DWT (1995 est.)

Ports

Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika

Railways

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

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