|
Home
Missions
Ministries
Bible
Institute & School
Contact
Us
Careers,
Opportunities in Ministry
|
Background:
|
 Originally
a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become
a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black
settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured
servants from India to work the sugar plantations. This
ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent
politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966,
but until the early 1990s it was ruled mostly by
socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was
elected president, in what is considered the country's first
free and fair election since independence. Upon his death five
years later, he was succeeded by his wife Janet, who resigned
in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was
reelected in 2001. |
|
Location:
|
Northern South
America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname
and Venezuela |
|
Map references:
|
South
America |
|
Area:
|
total:
214,970 sq km
water: 18,120 sq km
land: 196,850 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly smaller
than Idaho |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total:
2,462 km
border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km,
Venezuela 743 km |
|
Coastline:
|
459 km |
|
Climate:
|
tropical; hot,
humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons
(May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January) |
|
Terrain:
|
mostly rolling
highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
bauxite, gold,
diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish |
|
Land use:
|
arable land:
2.44%
permanent crops: 0.08%
other: 97.48% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
1,500 sq km (1998
est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
flash floods are
a constant threat during rainy seasons |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
water pollution
from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals;
deforestation |
|
Environment - international agreements:
|
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
|
Geography - note:
|
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 |
|
Population:
|
705,803
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into
account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can
result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and
death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in
the distribution of population by age and sex than would
otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years:
26.5% (male 95,431; female 91,806)
15-64 years: 68.3% (male 243,224; female 239,047)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 16,000; female 20,295)
(2004 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
26.2 years
male: 25.6 years
female: 26.8 years (2004 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
0.61% (2004 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
17.85
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
9.71 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
-2.07 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total:
37.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 32.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 41.28 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 62.43 years
male: 60.12 years
female: 64.84 years (2004 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
2.7% (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
18,000 (2001
est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
1,300 (2001 est.) |
|
Nationality:
|
noun:
Guyanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Guyanese |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
East Indian 50%,
black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and mixed 7% |
|
Religions:
|
Christian 50%,
Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5% |
|
Languages:
|
English,
Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu |
|
Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98.8%
male: 99.1%
female: 98.5% (2003 est.) |
|
Country name:
|
conventional
long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
conventional short form: Guyana
former: British Guiana |
|
Government type:
|
republic within
the Commonwealth |
|
Capital:
|
Georgetown |
|
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 |
|
Independence:
|
26 May 1966 (from
UK) |
|
National holiday:
|
Republic Day, 23
February (1970) |
|
Constitution:
|
6 October 1980 |
|
Legal system:
|
based on English
common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of
state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999);
note - assumed presidency after resignation of President Janet
JAGAN
head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since
NA December 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the
president, responsible to the legislature
elections: president elected by the majority party in
the National Assembly following legislative elections, which
must be held at least every five years; elections last held 19
March 2001 (next to be held by March 2006); prime minister
appointed by the president
election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected;
percent of legislative vote - NA% |
|
Legislative branch:
|
unicameral
National Assembly (68 seats, 65 elected by popular vote, 1
elected Speaker of the National Assembly, and 2 nonvoting
members appointed by the president; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held NA
March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - PPP/C 34, PNC 27, GAP and WPA 2, ROAR 1, TUF 1 |
|
Judicial branch:
|
Supreme Court of
Judicature; Judicial Court of Appeal; High Court |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
Alliance for
Guyana or AFG (includes Guyana Labor Party or GLP and Working
People's Alliance or WPA) [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]; Guyana Action
Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Guyana Labor Party or GLP [leader
NA]; People's National Congress or PNC/R [Robert Herman
Orlando CORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat
JAGDEO]; Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The
United Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; Working People's Alliance
or WPA [Rupert ROOPNARAINE] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
Civil Liberties
Action Committee or CLAC; Guyana Council of Indian
Organizations or GCIO; Trades Union Congress or TUC
note: the GCIO and the CLAC are small and active but
not well organized |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief of
mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL
chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900 |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief of
mission: Ambassador Ronald D. GODARD
embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston,
Georgetown
mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909
FAX: [592] 225-8497 |
|
Economy - overview:
|
The Guyanese
economy exhibited moderate economic growth in 2001-02, based
on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a more
favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more
realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the
continued support of international organizations. Growth then
slowed in 2003. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled
labor and a deficient infrastructure. The government is
juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for
expanded public investment. The bauxite mining sector should
benefit in the near term by restructuring and partial
privatization. |
|
GDP:
|
purchasing power
parity - $2.792 billion (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
0.3% (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power
parity - $4,000 (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
35%
industry: 21%
services: 44% (2002 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
NA% |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
4.7% (2002 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
418,000 (2001
est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture NA%,
industry NA%, services NA% |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
9.1%
(understated) (2000) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$227 million
expenditures: $235.2 million, including capital
expenditures of $93.4 million (2000) |
|
Industries:
|
bauxite, sugar,
rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
7.1% (1997 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
852 million kWh
(2001) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel:
99.4%
hydro: 0.6%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
792.4 million kWh
(2001) |
|
Oil - production:
|
0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
11,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
sugar, rice,
wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products;
fish (shrimp) |
|
Exports:
|
$512 million
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
sugar, gold,
bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber |
|
Exports - partners:
|
Canada 26.3%, US
22.3%, UK 13%, Jamaica 5.1%, Portugal 5.1%, Belgium 4.2%
(2002) |
|
Imports:
|
$612 million
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
manufactures,
machinery, petroleum, food |
|
Imports - partners:
|
US 25.1%,
Trinidad and Tobago 16%, Netherlands Antilles 13.7%, Italy
6.6%, UK 5.5%, Cuba 4.4% (2002) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$1.2 billion
(2002) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
$84 million
(1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC) $253
million (1997) (2000 est.) |
|
Currency:
|
Guyanese dollar (GYD) |
|
Currency code:
|
GYD |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Guyanese dollars
per US dollar - NA (2003), 190.67 (2002), 187.32 (2001),
182.43 (2000), 178 (1999) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar year |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
80,400 (2002) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
87,300 (2002) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general
assessment: fair system for long-distance calling
domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter
to Trinidad; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 3, FM 3,
shortwave 1 (1998) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
3 (one public
station; two private stations which relay US satellite
services) (1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.gy |
|
Internet hosts:
|
63 (2002) |
|
Internet users:
|
125,000 (2002) |
|
Railways:
|
total: 187
km
standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge
note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)
narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge |
|
Highways:
|
total:
7,970 km
paved: 590 km
unpaved: 7,380 km (1999 est.) |
|
Waterways:
|
5,900 km (total
length of navigable waterways)
note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are
navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km,
respectively |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Bartica,
Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 5
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,475 GRT/8,758 DWT
foreign-owned: Barbados 1, Panama 1
registered in other countries: 8 (2003 est.)
by type: cargo 3, container 1, refrigerated cargo 1 |
|
Airports:
|
49 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 41
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 32 (2003 est.) |
|
Military branches:
|
Guyana Defense
Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Corps; Guyana People's
Militia |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age
15-49: 209,545 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age
15-49: 157,264 (2004 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$6.5 million
(2003) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
0.8% (2003) |
|
Disputes - international:
|
all of the area
west of the Essequibo (river) is claimed by Venezuela
preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has
expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims
before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary
with Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a
triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in
a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne;
Guyana seeks UNCLOS arbitration to resolve the long-standing
dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea
boundary in potentially oil-rich waters |
|
Illicit drugs:
|
transshipment
point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela -
to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
|