Profile: Facts at a Glance

Capital: Georgetown

Flag: Green background (representing agriculture and forests) with a red triangle (zeal) edged with black (endurance) superimposed on a white triangle (mineral wealth) edged with white (waters).

GEOGRAPHY

Time: Four hours behind Greenwich Mean Time

Location: North Eastern Coast of the South American Continent

Area: 214,970 sq. km. (82,980 sq. mi.); about the size of Idaho. Terrain: Coastal plain, inland highlands, rain forest, savannah. Climate: Equitorial. Temperature on the Coast ranges from 20° C to 33.8° C and in the interior between 18.3° C and 39.4° C. Unlike many other West Indian countries, Guyana is not affected by natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes or earthquakes.

PEOPLE

Nationality: Noun and adjective--Guyanese (sing. and pl.).

Population (1992 est.): 739,000. Annual net population increase 1.4%, less net migration rate: 2.0%, equals annual growth rate: -0.6% (all 1992 ests.). Cities: capital--Georgetown (pop. 248,000). Other cities--Linden (pop. 27,000) and New Amsterdam (18,000).

Ethnic groups: East Indian origin 51%, African origin 29%, mixed 14%, Amerindian 4%, European and Chinese origin 2%. Religions: Christian 50%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 8%.

GOVERNMENT

Type: Republic within the Commonwealth. Democratically elected - Presidential form of Government.

Head of State: His Excellency Dr. Cheddi Jagan

Independence: May 26, 1966. Republic: February 23, 1970. Constitution: 1980.

Branches: Executive--executive president (chief of state and head of government), prime minister. Legislative--unicameral National Assembly (53 directly, 12 indirectly elected members for 5-year term 1992-1997). Judicial--Court of Appeal, High Court.

Subdivisions: 10 regions.

Political parties and seats in the National Assembly: People's Progressive Party (PPP), 36; People's National Congress (PNC), 26; Working People's Alliance (WPA), 2; The United Force (TUF), 1; Democratic Labour Movement (DLM), 0.

Suffrage: Universal over 18.

Central government budget (1993): $143 million.

Defense: 1.3% of GDP (1992).

ECONOMY

GDP (1992): $375 million. Real annual growth rate (1992): 7.8%. Per capita GDP (1992 est.): $500. Inflation rate (1992): 14%.

Agriculture (29% of 1992 GDP): Products--sugar, rice.

Industry (23% of 1992 GDP): Types--gold and bauxite mining, manufacturing, processing.

OTHER NATURAL RESOURCES: Diamonds, timber, shrimp, fish.

TRADE (1992): Exports--$322 million: sugar, bauxite, rice, gold, shrimp, rum, timber, molasses. Major markets--US (38.2% - bauxite, sugar, shrimp), UK, CARICOM countries. Imports--$307 million. Major suppliers--US (38.4%), UK, Venezuela.

EDUCATION: Years compulsory--ages 5-14. Attendance (1988, first grade)--69%. Literacy--95% (est. 1990).

HEALTH: Infant mortality rate--(1992) 50/1,000. Life expectancy--(1992) men 61, women 68.

LANGUAGES: (Main): English, Guyanese Creole, Amerindian dialects.