Guyana

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 106,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

government-dominated broadcast media; the National Communications Network (NCN) TV is state-owned; a few private TV stations relay satellite services; the state owns and operates 2 radio stations broadcasting on multiple frequencies; government limits on licensing of new private radio stations has constrained competition

Internet country code

.gy

Internet users

percent of population: 82% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 125,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 856,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (2021 est.)

Agricultural products

rice, sugarcane, plantains, cassava, papayas, pumpkins/squash, chicken, milk, ginger, eggplants (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

revenues: $1.333 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $1.467 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance

$2.352 billion (2023 est.) $4.242 billion (2022 est.) -$1.36 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$1.805 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

small, hydrocarbon-driven South American export economy; major forest coverage being leveraged in carbon credit offsets to encourage preservation; strengthening financial sector; large bauxite and gold resources

Exchange rates

Guyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar - 208.5 (2024 est.) 208.5 (2023 est.) 208.5 (2022 est.) 208.5 (2021 est.) 208.5 (2020 est.)

Exports

$13.739 billion (2023 est.) $11.517 billion (2022 est.) $4.594 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, railway cargo containers, gold, ships, rice (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

USA 20%, Trinidad & Tobago 11%, Netherlands 10%, Singapore 10%, Germany 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$24.836 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 8% (2024 est.) industry: 74.3% (2024 est.) services: 15.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Imports

$10.956 billion (2023 est.) $7.033 billion (2022 est.) $6.588 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, ships, construction vehicles, excavation machinery, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

USA 28%, China 13%, Trinidad & Tobago 11%, Brazil 5%, Bahamas, The 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

53.3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.9% (2024 est.) 2.8% (2023 est.) 6.1% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

292,200 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

50.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$58.423 billion (2024 est.) $40.749 billion (2023 est.) $30.457 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

43.4% (2024 est.) 33.8% (2023 est.) 63.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$70,300 (2024 est.) $49,300 (2023 est.) $37,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

3.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 6.9% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.01 billion (2024 est.) $895.275 million (2023 est.) $917.877 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Unemployment rate

10.2% (2024 est.) 12.1% (2023 est.) 12.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 22.3% (2024 est.) male: 17.4% (2024 est.) female: 28.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 259,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.07 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 268.803 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 93% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 98% electrification - rural areas: 91.6%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 92.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 5.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

46.045 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption: 1.991 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 1.991 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 391,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 18,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

2.639 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.635 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 4,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Climate

tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January)

Environmental issues

water pollution from sewage and agricultural/industrial chemicals; deforestation

International environmental agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land: 3.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.8% (2023 est.) forest: 87.1% (2023 est.) other: 9.5% (2023 est.)

Methane emissions

energy: 103 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 51.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 7.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 2.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

11.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

271 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 61.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 20.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.363 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 27.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 179,300 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 23% (2022 est.)

Area

total : 214,969 sq km land: 196,849 sq km water: 18,120 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Idaho; almost twice the size of Tennessee

Climate

tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January)

Coastline

459 km

Elevation

highest point: Laberintos del Norte on Mount Roraima 2,775 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 207 m

Geographic coordinates

5 00 N, 59 00 W

Geography - note

the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay; contains some of the largest unspoiled rainforests on the continent

Irrigated land

1,430 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 2,933 km border countries (3): Brazil 1,308 km; Suriname 836 km; Venezuela 789 km

Land use

agricultural land: 3.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.8% (2023 est.) forest: 87.1% (2023 est.) other: 9.5% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km)

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin

Natural hazards

flash flood threat during rainy seasons

Natural resources

bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Population distribution

population is heavily concentrated in the northeast in and around Georgetown, with notable concentrations along the Berbice River to the east; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated

Terrain

mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

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

Capital

name: Georgetown geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 09 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the British founded the town in 1781 and named it in honor of King GEORGE III (1738-1820)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: na

Constitution

history: several previous; latest promulgated 6 October 1980 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, such as national sovereignty, government structure and powers, and constitutional amendment procedures, requires approval by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum, and assent of the president; other amendments only require Assembly approval

Country name

conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana etymology: the name is derived from Guiana, the original name for the region that included British Guiana, Dutch Guiana, and French Guiana; the name Guiana may be derived from a local term meaning "Land of Water" (referring to the area's multitude of rivers and streams)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Nicole THERIOT (since 14 October 2023) embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170 telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909 FAX: [592] 225-8497 email address and website: acsgeorge@state.gov https://gy.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel Archibald HINDS (since 7 July 2021) chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297 email address and website: guyanaembassydc@verizon.net http://www.guyanaembassydc.org/ consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Mohammed Irfaan ALI (since 2 August 2020) head of government: President Mohammed Irfaan ALI (since 2 August 2020) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly election/appointment process: the predesignated candidate of the winning party in the last National Assembly election becomes president for a 5-year term (no term limits); prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 1 September 2025 election results: 2025: Mohammed Irfaan ALI (PPP/C) reelected president by the majority party in the National Assembly 2020: Mohammed Irfaan ALI (PPP/C) designated president by the majority party in the National Assembly 2015: David GRANGER (APNU-AFC) designated president by the majority party in the National Assembly expected date of next election: August 2030 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Flag

description: green with a red isosceles triangle (based on the left side) on top of a long yellow arrowhead shape that extends to the opposite side of the flag; a narrow black border sits between the red and yellow, and a narrow white border between the yellow and green meaning: green stands for forest and foliage, yellow for mineral resources and a bright future, white for the rivers, red for zeal and the people's sacrifice, and black for perseverance

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

26 May 1966 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

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); Caribbean Court of Justice is the final court of appeal in civil and criminal cases 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

Legal system

common law system, based on the English model, with some Roman-Dutch civil law influence

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: National Assembly number of seats: 72 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/1/2025 parties elected and seats per party: People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) (36); We Invest in Nationhood (W.I.N.) (16); A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) (12); Other (1) percentage of women in chamber: 36.1% expected date of next election: August 2030

National anthem(s)

title: "Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains" lyrics/music: Archibald Leonard LUKERL/Robert Cyril Gladstone POTTER history: adopted 1966

National coat of arms

Guyana s coat of arms was adopted in 1966, the year of the country s independence from the United Kingdom; the jaguars signify strength and resilience, with one holding a pickaxe that stands for labor and the other holding stalks of rice and sugarcane for agriculture; two national symbols, the Canje pheasant and the Victorian lily, are on the shield, with the national motto underneath; three wavy blue lines stand for the Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice rivers, the headdress for the country s ethnic groups, and the diamonds for the mining industry; the helmet is a symbol of past UK rule in Guyana

National color(s)

red, yellow, green, black, white

National holiday

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

National symbol(s)

Canje pheasant (hoatzin), jaguar, Victoria Regia water lily

Political parties

A New and United Guyana or ANUG A Partnership for National Unity or APNU Alliance for Change or AFC Justice for All Party Liberty and Justice Party or LJP National Independent Party or NIP People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C The New Movement or TNM The United Force or TUF United Republican Party or URP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to former slaves settling urban areas and indentured servants being imported 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 primarily socialist-oriented governments have ruled the country. 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 elected in 2001 and again in 2006. Donald RAMOTAR won in 2011, but early elections held in 2015 resulted in the first change in governing party, and David GRANGER took office. After a 2018 no-confidence vote against the GRANGER government, the administration ignored a constitutional requirement to hold elections and remained in place until the 2020 elections, when Irfaan ALI became president. The discovery of massive offshore oil reserves in 2015 has been Guyana's primary economic and political focus, with many hoping the reserves will transform one of the poorest countries in the region. Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America and shares cultural and historical bonds with the Anglophone Caribbean.

Military - note

the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) was established in 1965; its primary missions are territorial defense, maritime security, search and rescue, medical evacuation, aviation and engineering support, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, peace support operations, and community engagement; key areas of concern include illegal fishing, narcotics trafficking, piracy, porous borders, and threats from Venezuela over disputed territory; the GDF participates in both bilateral and multinational exercises and has relationships with Brazil, China, France, the UK, and the US Guyana joined the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) in 2022; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025)

Military and security forces

the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) is a unified force with ground, air, and coast guard components, as well as the Guyana National Reserve (2026) note: the Guyana Police Force under the Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for internal security

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 3,500 active-duty Guyana Defense Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military has a limited inventory comprised mostly of older or secondhand platforms imported from a variety of foreign suppliers, including Brazil, China, India, the former Soviet Union, the UK, and the US (2025)

Military expenditures

0.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age or older for voluntary military service; no conscription (2026)

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.5% (male 95,223/female 91,272) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 281,669/female 261,261) 65 years and over: 8.1% (2024 est.) (male 28,352/female 36,322)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 5.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

16.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 6.3% (2020) women married by age 18: 32.3% (2020) men married by age 18: 11.9% (2020)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

9.4% (2019 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

59% (2020 est.)

Death rate

7.05 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 46.3 (2024 est.) youth dependency ratio: 34.3 (2024 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11.9 (2024 est.) potential support ratio: 8.4 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 96% of population (2022 est.) rural: 95.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 95.9% of population (2022 est.) urban: 4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 4.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 4.1% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

4.5% of GDP (2018 est.) 7.2% national budget (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

East Indian 39.8%, African descent 29.3%, mixed 19.9%, Indigenous 10.5%, other 0.5% (includes Portuguese, Chinese, White) (2012 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

4.9% of GDP (2021) 10.5% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 20.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 23.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official), Guyanese Creole, Amerindian languages (including Caribbean and Arawak languages), Indian languages (including Caribbean Hindustani, a dialect of Hindi), Chinese (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.4 years (2024 est.) male: 70.6 years female: 74.3 years

Literacy

total population: 85.6% (2020 est.) male: 84.2% (2020 est.) female: 86.9% (2020 est.)

Major urban areas - population

110,000 GEORGETOWN (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

75 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

total: 28.7 years (2025 est.) male: 28.2 years female: 28.4 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

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

Nationality

noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese

Net migration rate

-6.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.2% (2016)

Physician density

1.39 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

total: 794,099 (2024 est.) male: 405,244 female: 388,855

Population distribution

population is heavily concentrated in the northeast in and around Georgetown, with notable concentrations along the Berbice River to the east; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated

Population growth rate

0.35% (2025 est.)

Religions

Protestant 34.8% (Pentecostal 22.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Anglican 5.2%, Methodist 1.4%), Hindu 24.8%, other Christian 20.8%, Roman Catholic 7.1%, Muslim 6.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 0.5%, other 0.9%, none 3.1% (2012 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 98.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.) urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 9.2% (2025 est.) male: 16.9% (2025 est.) female: 1.9% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.04 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 27.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 79 (2024 est.)

Airports

55 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

8R

Merchant marine

total: 80 (2023) by type: general cargo 45, oil tanker 10, other 25

Ports

total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam