Guyana

Background of Guyana

Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to settlement of urban areas by former slaves and the importation of indentured servants 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 it has been 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. 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 reelected in 2001 and again in 2006. Donald RAMOTAR was elected president in 2011.

Geography of Guyana

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

• Geographic Coordinate: 5 00 N, 59 00 W

• Map Reference: South America

total: 214,969 sq km

• Area

country comparison to the world: 85

land: 196,849 sq km

water: 18,120 sq km

• Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho

• Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to 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: 1.95%

permanent crops: 0.13%

other: 97.92% (2011)

Irrigated land: 1,501 sq km (2003)

• Total renewable water resources: 241 cu km (2011)

• Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.64 cu km/yr (4%/1%/94%)

per capita: 2,222 cu m/yr (2010)

• Natural hazards: flash flood 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

People and Society of Guyana

• Nationality:

noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Guyanese

• Ethnic groups: East Indian 43.5%, black (African) 30.2%, mixed 16.7%, Amerindian 9.1%, other 0.5% (2002 census)

• Languages: English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Urdu

• Religions: Protestant 30.5% (Pentecostal 16.9%, Anglican 6.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 5%, Methodist 1.7%), Hindu 28.4%, Roman Catholic 8.1%, Muslim 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other Christian 17.7%, other 1.9%, none 4.3%, unspecified 0.9% (2002 est.)

• Demographic profile: 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.

• Population: 735,554
• country comparison to the world: 165

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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2014 est.)

• Age structure:

0-14 years: 29% (male 108,703/female 104,793)

15-24 years: 21% (male 79,354/female 74,921)

25-54 years: 37.2% (male 142,348/female 131,108)

55-64 years: 7.5% (male 24,677/female 30,562)

65 years and over: 5.1% (male 16,318/female 22,770) (2014 est.)

• Dependency ratios:

total dependency ratio: 63.5 %

youth dependency ratio: 57.7 %

elderly dependency ratio: 5.7 %

potential support ratio: 17.5 (2014 est.)

• Median age:

total: 25 years

male: 24.6 years

female: 25.4 years (2014 est.)

• Population growth rate:

-0.11% (2014 est.)

• country comparison to the world: 204

• Birth rate:

15.9 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 125

Death rate:

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 122

• Net migration rate:

-9.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 214

• Urbanization:

urban population: 28.4% of total population (2011)

rate of urbanization: 0.53% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

• Major urban areas - population:

GEORGETOWN (capital) 127,000 (2011)

• Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

• Mother's mean age at first birth: 20.8

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

• Maternal mortality rate:
• 280 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
• country comparison to the world: 43

• Infant mortality rate:

total: 33.56 deaths/1,000 live births

country comparison to the world: 65

male: 37.57 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 29.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)

• Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 67.81 years

country comparison to the world: 162

male: 64.82 years

female: 70.96 years (2014 est.)

• Total fertility rate:

2.14 children born/woman (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 106

• Contraceptive prevalence rate: 42.5% (2009)

• Health expenditures:5.9% of GDP (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 114

• Physicians density: 0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
• Hospital bed density: 2 beds/1,000 population (2009)

• Drinking water source:

improved:

urban: 96.6% of population

rural: 97.9% of population

total: 97.6% of population

unimproved:

urban: 3.4% of population

rural: 2.1% of population

total: 2.4% of population (2012 est.)

• Sanitation facility access:

improved:

urban: 87.9% of population

rural: 82% of population

total: 83.6% of population

unimproved:

urban: 12.1% of population

rural: 18% of population

total: 16.4% of population (2012 est.)

• HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.3% (2012 est.)
• country comparison to the world: 37
• HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,200 (2012 est.)
• country comparison to the world: 116
• HIV/AIDS - deaths:

• 100 (2012 est.)
• country comparison to the world: 134
• Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2013)

• Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 17.2% (2008)
• country comparison to the world: 113
• Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 11.1% (2009)
• country comparison to the world: 66
• Education expenditures: 3.2% of GDP (2012)
• country comparison to the world: 136

• Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 91.8%

male: 92%

female

91.6% (2002 Census)

• School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 9 years

female: 11 years (2012)

• Child labor - children ages 5-14:

total number: 30,255

percentage: 16 % (2006 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:

total: 46.05%

• country comparison to the world: 8

male: 43.59%

female: 50% (2011)

Government of Guyana

• Country name:

conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana

conventional short form: Guyana

former: British Guiana

Government type:

• republic Capital:

name: Georgetown

• geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 09 W
• time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

• 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 the UK)

• National holiday:

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution: several previous; latest promulgated 6 October 1980; amended many times, last in 2007 (2013)

• Legal system: common law system, based on the English model, with some Roman-Dutch civil law influence
• International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

• Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

• Executive branch:

chief of state: President Donald RAMOTAR (since 03 December 2011)

head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since October 1992, except for a period as chief of state after the death of President Cheddi JAGAN on 6 March 1997)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature

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elections: president elected by popular vote as leader of a party list in parliamentary election, which must be held at least every five years (no term limits); elections last held on 28 November 2011 (next to be held by December 2016); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Donald RAMOTAR elected president; percent of vote 48.6%

• Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (65 seats; members elected by popular vote, also not more than 4 non-elected non-voting ministers and 2 non-elected non-voting parliamentary secretaries appointed by the president; members to serve five-year terms)
• elections: last held on 28 November 2011 (next to be held by November 2016)
• election results: percent of vote by party - PPP/C 48.6%, APNU 40%, AFC 10.3%, other 1.1%; seats by party - PPP/C 32, APNU 26, AFC 7

• Judicial branch:
• 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 ceased final appeals in civil and criminal cases to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London), replacing it with the Caribbean Court of Justice, the judicial organ of the Caribbean Community 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

• Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Change or AFC [[[Khemraj RAMJATTAN]] Justice for All Party [[[C.N. SHARMA]] A Partnership for National Unity or APNU David GRANGER People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C Donald RAMOTAR Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR Ravi DEV The United Force or TUF Manzoor NADIR The Unity Party Joey JAGAN Vision Guyana Peter RAMSAROOP

Political pressure groups and leaders: Amerindian People's Association Guyana Bar Association Guyana Citizens Initiative Guyana Human Rights Association Guyana Public Service Union or GPSU Private Sector Commission Trades Union Congress International organization participation:

ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

• Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRAN (since 4 December 2003) chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador D. Brent HARDT (since 19 August 2011) embassy: US Embassy, 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown; US Embassy, 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170 telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909 FAX: [592] 225-8497 Flag description:

National symbol(s): Canje pheasant (hoatzin); jaguar

National anthem: name: "Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains" A generally patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.

Disclaimer

This is not the official site of this country. Most of the information in this site were taken from the U.S. Department of State, The Central Intelligence Agency, The United Nations, [1],[2], [3], [4], [5],[6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14],[15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23], [24],[25], [26], [27], [28], [29], [30],[31], [32], [33], [34], and the [35].

Other sources of information will be mentioned as they are posted.