Guyana - Economic Indicators

Economic 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 closed or consolidated several sugar estates in 2017, reducing production of sugar to a forecasted 147,000 tons in 2018, less than half of 2017 production. Much of Guyana's growth...

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GDP Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Nominal Gross Domestic Product 2022 3,068,784,000,000 1,676,624,000,000 GYD Annual
Private Consumption 2019 1,205,175,649,438 1,070,365,328,115 GYD Annual
Investment 2019 153,262,698,800 128,242,062,411 GYD Annual
Nominal Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2017 228,260,000,000 214,383,000,000 NCU Annual
Government Consumption 2015 111,278 107,512 Mil. GYD Annual
Real Gross Domestic Product 2004 105.36 102.78 Index 2000=100 Annual
Price Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Consumer Price Index (CPI) Dec 2023 136.58 135.86 2010=100, NSA Monthly
Labor Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Agriculture Employment 2017 42,727 45,060 # Annual
Labor Force 2016 314,467 309,871 # Annual
Unemployment Rate 2016 11.76 11.81 % of total labor force Annual
Trade Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Exports of Goods 2022 11,299,449,722 4,355,912,633 USD Annual
Current Account Balance 2022 -254,120,762 -2,503,315,524 USD Annual
Imports of Goods 2022 3,204,467,862 3,701,396,472 USD Annual
Balance of Goods 2022 8,094,981,859 654,516,160 USD Annual
Exports of Goods and Services 2019 373,627,705,476 318,692,311,268 GYD Annual
Imports of Goods and Services 2019 861,020,292,229 713,928,388,159 GYD Annual
Markets Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Treasury Bills (over 31 days) Dec 2023 1.1 1.1 % p.a., NSA Monthly
Lending Rate Jun 2017 5 5 % - End of period Monthly
Demographics Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Population 2020 786,559 782,775 # Annual
Net Migration 2017 -24,552 # Annual
Birth Rate 2016 20.58 20.73 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Death Rate 2016 8.21 8.16 # per Ths. pop. Annual

Factbook

Background

Background:
Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to settlement of urban areas by former slaves and the importation of indentured servants 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 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 elected in 2001 and again in 2006. Early elections held in May 2015 resulted in the first change in governing party and the replacement of President Donald RAMOTAR by current President David GRANGER

Geography

Location:
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela
Geographic coordinates:
5 00 N, 59 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 214,969 sq km
land: 196,849 sq km
water: 18,120 sq km
country comparison to the world: 86
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Idaho
Land boundaries:
total: 2,933 km
border countries (3): Brazil 1,308 km, Suriname 836 km, Venezuela 789 km
Coastline:
459 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin
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
Elevation:
mean elevation: 207 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Laberintos del Norte on Mount Roraima 2,775 m
Natural resources:
bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Land use:
agricultural land: 8.4%
arable land 2.1%; permanent crops 0.1%; permanent pasture 6.2%
forest: 77.4%
other: 14.2% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
1,430 sq km (2012)
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
Natural hazards:
flash flood threat during rainy seasons
Environment - current issues:
water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
Environment - international 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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
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; contains some of the largest unspoiled rainforests on the continent

People & Society

Population:
737,718
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 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
Nationality:
noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Guyanese
Ethnic groups:
East Indian 39.8%, black (African) 29.3%, mixed 19.9%, Amerindian 10.5%, other 0.5% (includes Portuguese, Chinese, white) (2012 est.)
Languages:
English (official), Guyanese Creole, Amerindian languages (including Caribbean and Arawak languages), Indian languages (including Caribbean Hindustani, a dialect of Hindi), Chinese (2014 est.)
Religions:
Protestant 34.8% (Pentecostal 22.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Anglican 5.2%, Methodist 1.4%), Hindu 24.8%, Roman Catholic 7.1%, Muslim 6.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 0.5%, other Christian 20.8%, other 0.9%, none 3.1% (2012 est.)
Demographic profile:
Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America and shares cultural and historical bonds with the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana's two largest ethnic groups are the Afro-Guyanese (descendants of African slaves) and the Indo-Guyanese (descendants of Indian indentured laborers), which together comprise about three quarters of Guyana's population. Tensions periodically have boiled over between the two groups, which back ethnically based political parties and vote along ethnic lines. Poverty reduction has stagnated since the late 1990s. About one-third of the Guyanese population lives below the poverty line; indigenous people are disproportionately affected. Although Guyana's literacy rate is reported to be among the highest in the Western Hemisphere, the level of functional literacy is considerably lower, which has been attributed to poor education quality, teacher training, and infrastructure.
Guyana's emigration rate is among the highest in the world - more than 55% of its citizens reside abroad - and it is one of the largest recipients of remittances relative to GDP among Latin American and Caribbean counties. Although remittances are a vital source of income for most citizens, the pervasive emigration of skilled workers deprives Guyana of professionals in healthcare and other key sectors. More than 80% of Guyanese nationals with tertiary level educations have emigrated. Brain drain and the concentration of limited medical resources in Georgetown hamper Guyana's ability to meet the health needs of its predominantly rural population. Guyana has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the region and continues to rely on international support for its HIV treatment and prevention programs.
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.22% (male 98,506/female 94,949)
15-24 years: 21.56% (male 81,487/female 77,567)
25-54 years: 38.1% (male 146,915/female 134,145)
55-64 years: 8.03% (male 26,924/female 32,345)
65 years and over: 6.08% (male 18,421/female 26,459) (2017 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 53.5
youth dependency ratio: 45.8
elderly dependency ratio: 7.7
potential support ratio: 13.3 (2015 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.2 years
male: 25.9 years
female: 26.6 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
Population growth rate:
0.32% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
Birth rate:
15.4 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
Death rate:
7.4 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
Net migration rate:
-4.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
Population distribution:
population is heavily concentrated in the northeast in and around Georgetown, with noteable concentrations along the Berbice River to the east; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated
Urbanization:
urban population: 28.8% of total population (2017)
rate of urbanization: 0.91% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
GEORGETOWN (capital) 124,000 (2014)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth:
20.8 years
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2009 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio:
229 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
Infant mortality rate:
total: 30.4 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 34.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 26.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.6 years
male: 65.6 years
female: 71.8 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Total fertility rate:
2 children born/woman (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
33.9% (2014)
Health expenditures:
5.2% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 134
Physicians density:
0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
Hospital bed density:
1.6 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 98.2% of population
rural: 98.3% of population
total: 98.3% of population
unimproved:
urban: 1.8% of population
rural: 1.7% of population
total: 1.7% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 87.9% of population
rural: 82% of population
total: 83.7% of population
unimproved:
urban: 12.1% of population
rural: 18% of population
total: 16.3% of population (2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.6% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
8,500 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
<200 (2016 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
20.2% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 101
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
8.5% (2014)
country comparison to the world: 67
Education expenditures:
3.2% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 136
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 88.5%
male: 87.2%
female: 89.8% (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 10 years
female: 10 years (2012)

Government

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; ultimately the word is derived from an indigenous Amerindian language and means "Land of Many Waters" (referring to the area's multitude of rivers and streams)
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Georgetown
geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 09 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
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:
several previous; latest promulgated 6 October 1980; amended many times, last in 2009 (2017)
Legal system:
common law system, based on the English model, with some Roman-Dutch civil law influence
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent: yes
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: na
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President David GRANGER (since 16 May 2015); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President David GRANGER (since 16 May 2015)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
elections/appointments: the predesignated candidate of the winning party in the last National Assembly election becomes president for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 11 May 2015 (next to be held no later than 2020); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: David GRANGER (APNU-AFC) designated president by the majority party in the National Assembly
Legislative branch:
description: unicameral National Assembly (65 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies and a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
elections: last held on 11 May 2015 (next to be held by May 2020)
election results: percent of vote by party - APNU-AFC 50.3%, PPP/C 49.2%, other 0.5%; seats by party - APNU-AFC 33, PPP/C 32
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); note - in 2009, Guyana ceased final appeals in civil and criminal cases to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London), replacing it with the Caribbean Court of Justice, the judicial organ of the Caribbean Community
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
Political parties and leaders:
A Partnership for National Unity or APNU [David A. GRANGER]
Alliance for Change or AFC [Raphael TROTMAN]
Justice for All Party [C.N. SHARMA]
National Independent Party or NIP [Saphier Husain SUBEDAR]
People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Donald RAMOTAR]
The United Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]
United Republican Party or URP [Vishnu BANDHU]
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
Guyana Trans United
Private Sector Commission
Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination or SASOD
Trades Union Congress
International organization participation:
ACP, 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, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Riyad David INSANALLY (since 16 Sept 2016)
chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900
FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Perry L. HOLLOWAY (since 2 October 2015)
embassy: US Embassy, 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown; US Embassy, 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170
telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909
FAX: [592] 225-8497
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
National symbol(s):
Canje pheasant (hoatzin), jaguar, Victoria Regia water lily; national colors: red, yellow, green, black, white
National anthem:
name: "Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains"
lyrics/music: Archibald Leonard LUKERL/Robert Cyril Gladstone POTTER
note: adopted 1966

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 closed or consolidated several sugar estates in 2017, reducing production of sugar to a forecasted 147,000 tons in 2018, less than half of 2017 production. Much of Guyana's growth in recent years has come from a surge in gold production. With a record-breaking 700,000 ounces of gold produced in 2016, Gold production in Guyana has offset the economic effects of declining sugar production. In January 2018, estimated 3.2 billion barrels of oil were found offshore and Guyana is scheduled to become a petroleum producer by March 2020.
Guyana's entrance into the Caricom Single Market and Economy in January 2006 broadened the country's export market, primarily in the raw materials sector. Guyana has experienced positive growth almost every year over the past decade. Inflation has been kept under control. Recent years have seen the government's stock of debt reduced significantly - with external debt now less than half of what it was in the early 1990s. Despite recent improvements, the government is still 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 21% of GDP, which along with other Highly Indebted Poor Country debt forgiveness, brought the debt-to-GDP ratio down from 183% in 2006 to 52% in 2017. Guyana had become heavily indebted as a result of the inward-looking, state-led development model pursued in the 1970s and 1980s. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$6.367 billion (2017 est.)
$6.15 billion (2016 est.)
$5.953 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 171
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.591 billion (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2017 est.)
3.3% (2016 est.)
3.1% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,300 (2017 est.)
$8,000 (2016 est.)
$7,800 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 149
Gross national saving:
14.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
15.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
8.2% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 73.3%
government consumption: 19.1%
investment in fixed capital: 23.1%
investment in inventories: 3.2%
exports of goods and services: 51.4%
imports of goods and services: -70.1% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 17.5%
industry: 37.8%
services: 44.7% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, rice, edible oils; beef, pork, poultry; shrimp, fish
Industries:
bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate:
9% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
Labor force:
313,800 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
11.1% (2013 est.)
11.3% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
Population below poverty line:
35% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.3%
highest 10%: 33.8% (1999 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.6 (2007 est.)
43.2 (1999 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
Budget:
revenues: $939.1 million
expenditures: $1.152 billion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
26.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-5.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
Public debt:
52.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
46.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2017 est.)
0.8% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
Central bank discount rate:
5.5% (31 December 2011 est.)
4.25% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.3% (31 December 2017 est.)
13% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
Stock of narrow money:
$772.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$701.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
Stock of broad money:
$1.735 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.986 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.875 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$610.9 million (31 December 2012 est.)
$440.4 million (31 December 2011 est.)
$339.8 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
Current account balance:
$-70 million (2017 est.)
$14 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Exports:
$1.474 billion (2017 est.)
$1.38 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Exports - commodities:
sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber
Exports - partners:
Canada 30.6%, US 20.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 11.4% (2016)
Imports:
$1.776 billion (2017 est.)
$1.555 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Imports - commodities:
manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
Imports - partners:
Trinidad and Tobago 29%, US 27.5%, China 7.3%, Suriname 5.5% (2016)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$607.7 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$581 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
Debt - external:
$1.726 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.542 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Exchange rates:
Guyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar -
207 (2017 est.)
206.5 (2016 est.)
206.5 (2015 est.)
206.5 (2014 est.)
206.45 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access:
population without electricity: 154,540
electrification - total population: 79%
electrification - urban areas: 91%
electrification - rural areas: 75% (2012)
Electricity - production:
1 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Electricity - consumption:
800 million kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
438,000 kW (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
86.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
13% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
Crude oil - proved reserves:
2.5 billion bbl (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Refined petroleum products - imports:
13,250 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
1.7 million Mt (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 141,595
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total: 584,659
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 79 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
Telephone system:
general assessment: reliable international long distance service; 100% digital network; national transmission supported by fiber optic cable and rural network by microwaves; more than 150,000 lines; many areas still lack fixed-line telephone services
domestic: fixed-line teledensity is about 20 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity about 75 per 100 persons
international: country code - 592; SIP trunking to most providers; international calls via diverse fiber optic cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2017)
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 capable of reaching the entire country; government limits on licensing of new private radio stations has constrained competition in broadcast media (2017)
Internet country code:
.gy
Internet users:
total: 262,425
percent of population: 35.7% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165

Transportation

National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers: 2
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 43,835
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
8R (2016)
Airports:
117 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 50
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 8 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 106
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 89 (2013)
Roadways:
total: 7,970 km
paved: 590 km
unpaved: 7,380 km (2001)
country comparison to the world: 141
Waterways:
330 km (the Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively) (2012)
country comparison to the world: 91
Merchant marine:
total: 55
by type: general cargo 26, oil tanker 6, other 23 (2017)
country comparison to the world: 111
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s): Georgetown

Military & Security

Military expenditures:
1.42% of GDP (2016)
1.46% of GDP (2015)
1.28% of GDP (2014)
1.18% of GDP (2013)
1.18% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 81
Military branches:
Guyana Defense Force: Army (includes Air Corps, Coast Guard) (2012)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age or older for voluntary military service; no conscription (2014)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
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 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (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
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Guyana is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor – children are particularly vulnerable; women and girls from Guyana, Venezuela, Suriname, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic are forced into prostitution in Guyana’s interior mining communities and urban areas; forced labor is reported in mining, agriculture, forestry, domestic service, and shops; Guyanese nationals are also trafficked to Suriname, Jamaica, and other Caribbean countries for sexual exploitation and forced labor
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Guyana does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Guyana was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; the government released its anti-trafficking action plan in June 2014 but made uneven efforts to implement it; law enforcement was weak, investigating seven trafficking cases, prosecuting four alleged traffickers, and convicting one trafficker – a police officer – who was released on bail pending appeal; in 2014, as in previous years, Guyanese courts dismissed the majority of ongoing trafficking prosecutions; the government referred some victims to care services, which were provided by NGOs with little or no government support (2015)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis; rising money laundering related to drug trafficking and human smuggling

Economic Indicators for Guyana including actual values, historical data, and latest data updates for the Guyana economy.