@node Geography (Guyana)
@section Geography (Guyana)

@display

Location:
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Suriname
  and Venezuela
Map references:
  South America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  214,970 km2
 land area:
  196,850 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly smaller than Idaho
Land boundaries:
  total 2,462 km, Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Coastline:
  459 km
Maritime claims:
 continental shelf:
  200 nm or the outer edge of continental margin
 exclusive fishing zone:
  200 nm
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  all of the area west of the Essequibo River claimed by Venezuela; Suriname
  claims area between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Koetari Rivers
  (all headwaters of the Courantyne)
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
Natural resources:
  bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Land use:
 arable land:
  3%
 permanent crops:
  0%
 meadows and pastures:
  6%
 forest and woodland:
  83%
 other:
  8%
Irrigated land:
  1,300 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
  flash floods a constant threat during rainy seasons; water pollution



@end display

@node People (Guyana)
@section People (Guyana)

@display

Population:
  734,640 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  -0.68% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  20.47 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  7.39 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  -19.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  49.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  64.7 years
 male:
  61.46 years
 female:
  68.1 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  2.35 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:   Guyanese (singular and plural)
 adjective:
  Guyanese
Ethnic divisions:
  East Indian 51%, black and mixed 43%, Amerindian 4%, European and Chinese 2%
Religions:
  Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1%
Languages:
  English, Amerindian dialects
Literacy:
  age 15 and over having ever attended scool (1990)
 total population:
  95%
 male:
  98%
 female:
  96%
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)



@end display

@node Government (Guyana)
@section Government (Guyana)

@display

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Co-operative Republic of Guyana
 conventional short form:
  Guyana
 former:
  British Guiana
Digraph:
  GY
Type:
  republic
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)
Constitution:
  6 October 1980
Legal system:
  based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
  Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Political parties and leaders:   People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE; People's
Progressive
  Party (PPP), Cheddi JAGAN; 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
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
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 Executive President:
  last held on 5 October 1992; results - Cheddi JAGAN was elected president
  since he was leader of the party with the most votes in the National
  Assembly elections
 National Assembly:
  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
Executive branch:
  executive president, first vice president, prime minister, first deputy
  prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Judicature



@end display

@node Government (Guyana 2. usage)
@section Government (Guyana 2. usage)

@display

Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  Executive President Cheddi JAGAN (since 5 October 1992); First Vice
  President Sam HINDS (since 5 October 1992)
 Head of Government:
  Prime Minister Sam HINDS (since 5 October 1992)
Member of:
  ACP, C, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Dr. Odeen ISHMAEL
 chancery:
  2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
 telephone:
  (202) 265-6900
 consulate general:
  New York
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:   Ambassador George Jones
 embassy:
  99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Georgetown
 mailing address:
  P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
 telephone:
  [592] (2) 54900 through 54909 and 57960 through 57969
 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



@end display

@node Economy (Guyana)
@section Economy (Guyana)

@display

Overview:
  Guyana is one of the world's poorest countries with a per capita income less
  than one-fifth the South American average. After growing on average at less
  than 1% a year in 1986-87, GDP dropped by 5% a year in 1988-90. The decline
  resulted from bad weather, labor trouble in the cane fields, and flooding
  and equipment problems in the bauxite industry. Consumer prices rose about
  100% in 1989 and 75% in 1990, and the current account deficit widened
  substantially as sugar and bauxite exports fell. Moreover, electric power
  has been in short supply and constitutes a major barrier to future gains in
  national output. The government, in association with international financial
  agencies, seeks to reduce its payment arrears and to raise new funds. The
  government's stabilization program - aimed at establishing realistic
  exchange rates, reasonable price stability, and a resumption of growth -
  requires considerable public administrative abilities and continued patience
  by consumers during a long incubation period. Buoyed by a recovery in mining
  and agriculture, the economy posted 6% growth in 1991 and 7% growth in 1992,
  according to official figures. A large volume of illegal and quasi-legal
  economic activity is not captured in estimates of the country's total
  output.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $267.5 million (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  7% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
  $370 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  15% (1992)
Unemployment rate:
  12%-15% (1991 est.)
Budget:
  revenues $121 million; expenditures $225 million, including capital
  expenditures of $50 million (1990 est.)
Exports:
  $268 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
 commodities:
  sugar, bauxite/alumina, rice, gold, shrimp, molasses, timber, rum
 partners:
  UK 28%, US 25%, FRG 8%, Canada 7%, Japan 6% (1989)
Imports:
  $242.4 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
 commodities:
  manufactures, machinery, food, petroleum
 partners:
  US 40%, Trinidad & Tobago 13%, UK 11%, Japan 5%, Netherland Antilles 3%
  (1989)
External debt:
  $2 billion including arrears (1990)
Industrial production:
  growth rate 12% (1990 est.); accounts for about 24% of GDP
Electricity:
  253,500 kW capacity; 276 million kWh produced, 370 kWh per capita (1992)
Industries:
  bauxite mining, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp), textiles,
  gold mining
Agriculture:
  most important sector, accounting for 25% of GDP and about half of exports;
  sugar and rice are key crops; development potential exists for fishing and
  forestry; not self-sufficient in food, especially wheat, vegetable oils, and
  animal products



@end display

@node Economy (Guyana 2. usage)
@section Economy (Guyana 2. usage)

@display

Economic aid:
  US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $116 million; Western (non-US)
  countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $325 million;
  Communist countries 1970-89, $242 million
Currency:
  1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
  Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1 - 125.8 (January 1993) 125.0 (1992), 111.8
  (1991), 39.533 (1990), 27.159 (1989), 10.000 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  calendar year



@end display

@node Communications (Guyana)
@section Communications (Guyana)

@display

Railroads:
  187 km total, all single track 0.914-meter gauge
Highways:
  7,665 km total; 550 km paved, 5,000 km gravel, 1,525 km earth, 590 km
  unimproved
Inland 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
Ports:
  Georgetown, New Amsterdam
Merchant marine:
  1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,317 GRT/2,558 DWT
Airports:  total:
  53
 usable:
  48
 with permanent-surface runways:
  5
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  13
Telecommunications:
  fair system with radio relay network; over 27,000 telephones; tropospheric
  scatter link to Trinidad; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 3 FM, no TV, 1
  shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Guyana)
@section Defense Forces (Guyana)

@display

Branches:
  Guyana Defense Force (GDF; including the Ground Forces, Coast Guard and Air
  Corps), Guyana People's Militia (GPM), Guyana National Service (GNS)
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 196,960; fit for military service 149,583 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  $NA, NA% of GDP



@end display