Guyana

Youth for Christ ministry in Guyana is still in the target stage. This means key contacts have been identified, and a ministry plan is being developed but ministry has not yet commenced.

About Guyana

Introduction

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, 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.

Geography

Location

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

Geographic Coordinates: 5 00 N, 59 00 W

Area

Total Area: 214,969 sq km Rank: 84

Land Area: 196,849 sq km

Water Area: 18,120 sq km

Comparison: slightly smaller than Idaho

Land Boundaries: 2,949 km

Bordering Countries: Brazil 1,606 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Coastline: 459 km

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

Elevations

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: 2.23%

Permanent Crops: 0.14%

Other: 97.63% (2005)

Irrigated Land: 1,500 sq km (2003)

Renewable Water Resources: 241 cu km (2000)

Total Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): 1.64 cu km/yr (2%/1%/98%)

Freshwater Withdrawal Per Capita: 2,187 cu m/yr (2000)

Environment

Natural Hazards: flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Environmental Issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation

Environmental 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

Geography Notes

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

Population: 752,940 Rank: 160

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 2010 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 years: 33.3% (male 127,818/female 123,261)

15-64 years: 62.1% (male 233,270/female 234,025)

65 years and over: 4.6% (male 14,481/female 20,085) (2010 est.)

Median Age: 22.9 years

Population Growth

Growth Rate: -0.634% (2010 est.) Rank: 229

Birth Rate: 18.31 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 111

Death Rate: 7.34 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Rank: 122

Net Migration Rate: -17.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 178

Urbanization

Urban Population: 28% of total population (2008)

Rate of Urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Life and Death

Infant Mortality Rate: 39.11 deaths/1,000 live births Rank: 69

Life Expectancy at Birth: 66.31 years Rank: 158

Fertility Rate: 2.4 children born/woman (2010 est.) Rank: 98

Health and Disease

HIV/AIDS - Adult Prevalence Rate: 2.5% (2007 est.) Rank: 26

People living with HIV/AIDS: 13,000 (2007 est.) Rank: 92

HIV/AIDS Deaths: fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) Rank: 80

Degree of Risk for Major Infectious Diseases: high

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

Vectorborne Diseases: dengue fever and malaria

Water Contact Diseases: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality and Culture

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)

Religion: Hindu 28.4%, Pentecostal 16.9%, Roman Catholic 8.1%, Anglican 6.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 5%, Methodist 1.7%, Jehovah Witness 1.1%, other Christian 17.7%, Muslim 7.2%, other 4.3%, none 4.3% (2002 census)

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

Education

Literacy (age 15 and over has ever attended school): 91.8% Male: 92% Female: 91.6% (2002 Census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): 13 years Male: 13 years Female: 14 years (2005)

Education expenditures: 8.3% of GDP (2006) Rank: 13

Government

Country Name

Conventional Long Form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana

Conventional Short Form: Guyana

Formerly: British Guiana

Government Type: republic

Capital: Georgetown Geographic Coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 10 W

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: 6 October 1980

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of State: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President Janet JAGAN and was reelected in 2001, and again in 2006

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

Elections: president elected by popular vote as leader of a party list in parliamentary elections, which must be held at least every five years (no term limits); elections last held on 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011); prime minister appointed by the president

Election Results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of vote 54.6%

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 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011)

Election Results: percent of vote by party - PPP/C 54.6%, PNC/R 34%, AFC 8.1%, other 3.3%; seats by party - PPP/C 36, PNC/R 22, AFC 5, other 2

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Judicature, consisting of the High Court and the Court of Appeal, with right of final appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Politics

Political Parties and Leaders: Alliance for Change or AFC [Raphael TROTMAN and Khemraj RAMJATTAN]; Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Justice for All Party [C.N. SHARMA]; People's National Congress/Reform 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]; The Unity Party [Joey JAGAN]; Vision Guyana [Peter RAMSAROOP]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]

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, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, PetroCaribe, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Flag Description: 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

Economy

Economy Overview: The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in recent years and is based largely on agriculture and extractive industries. The economy is heavily dependent upon the export of six commodities - sugar, gold, bauxite, shrimp, timber, and rice - which represent nearly 60% of the country's GDP and are highly susceptible to adverse weather conditions and fluctuations in commodity prices. Guyana's entrance into the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) in January 2006 has broadened the country's export market, primarily in the raw materials sector. Economic recovery since a 2005 flood-related contraction was buoyed by increases in remittances and foreign direct investment in the sugar and rice industries as well as the mining sector. 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. In March 2007, the Inter-American Development Bank, Guyana's principal donor, canceled Guyana's nearly $470 million debt, equivalent to nearly 48% of GDP, which along with other Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) debt forgiveness brought the debt-to-GDP ratio down from 183% in 2006 to 120% in 2007. Guyana became heavily indebted as a result of the inward-looking, state-led development model pursued in the 1970s and 1980s. Growth turned negative in 2009 as a result of the world recession. The slowdown in the domestic economy and lower import costs helped to narrow the country's current account deficit in 2009, despite lower earnings from exports, but growth is expected to rebound in 2010 as exports benefit from higher commodity prices.

Gross Domestic Product

GDP (purchasing power parity): $4.877 billion (2009 est.) Rank: 160

GDP - real growth rate: 2.3% (2009 est.) Rank: 78

GDP - per capita (PPP): $6,500 (2009 est.) Rank: 130

GDP - Composition by Sector: Agriculture: 25.1% Industry: 24% Services: 50.9% (2009 est.)

Labor Force

Labor Force: 333,900 (2007 est.) Rank: 162

Labor force - by occupation: Agriculture: NA Industry: NA Services: NA

Unemployment Rate: 11% (2007) Rank: 124

Poverty

Population below poverty line: NA

Public debt:

NA of GDP

Transnational Issues

International Disputes: 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 arbitration under provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters

Breaking News from Guyana