LOCATION:

bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela

AREA:

total: 214,970 sq km
land: 196,850 sq km
water: 18,120 sq km
Area - comparative:
  
slightly smaller than Idaho

POPULATION

765,283
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 2005 est.)

AGE STRUCTURE:

0-14 years: 26.4%
(male 103,054/female 99,279)
 
15-64 years: 68.5%
(male 263,953/female 260,000)
 
65 years and over: 5.1%
(male 16,801/female 22,196)

(2005 est.)

MEDIAN AGE:

Median age:

total: 26.91 years
male: 26.44 years
female: 27.4 years

(2005 est.)

POPULATION GROWTH:

0.26%

(2005 est.)

INFANT MORTALITY RATE:

total: 33.26 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 36.94 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 29.38 deaths/1,000 live births

 (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS-ADULT PREVALENCE RATE:

2.7%

HIV/AIDS- PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS :

11,000

low estimate:
3,300

high estimate:
33,000

HIV/AIDS-DEATH

1,100

low estimate:
500

high estimate:
2,600

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.)

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)

ECONOMY:

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 and came back gradually in 2004, buoyed largely by increased export earnings. 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 from restructuring and partial privatization.

GDP:

purchasing power parity - $2.899 billion

 (2004 est.)

POPULATION BELOW POVERT LINE:

N/A

INFLATION RATE:

4.5%

(2004 est.)

UNEMPLOYMENT:

9.1% (understated)

(2000)

EXCHANGE RATES:

Guyanese dollars per US dollar -
198.308 (2004),
190.665 (2003),
190.665 (2002),
187.321 (2001),
182.43 (2000)

Illicit Drugs:

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