Guyana KEY FACTS Vegetation: Guyana’s tropical forest, covering 77 per cent of the land area, is Joined Commonwealth: 1966 among the most ecologically valuable and Population: 800,000 (2013) best preserved in the world. The environment GDP p.c. growth: 3.0% p.a. 1990–2013 is an issue of great political importance in Guyana. There is concern about climate UN HDI 2014: World ranking 121 change and sea-level rise, because the low- Official language: English lying littoral plain relies on a system of dams, Time: GMT minus 4 hrs walls and drainage canals to prevent flooding from the sea or the huge rivers. Forest Currency: Guyana dollar (G$) resources are also important; the country has taken a lead in advancing forestry Geography conservation and sustainable development Area: 214,970 sq km and there was no significant loss of forest Coastline: 459 km cover during 1990–2012. Capital: Georgetown Under the Iwokrama Rainforest Programme, some 371,000 hectares, much of it virgin The Co-operative Republic of Guyana lies in forest, have been set aside for preservation the north-east of South America, north of the and scientific study of its ecology and for equator. It is bordered by Suriname, Brazil sustainable development of the parts cent of the total network of 7,970 km is and Venezuela and, to the north and east, inhabited by Amerindian tribes or migrant extends to the North Atlantic Ocean. The paved. There is no passenger rail service, mining communities. The programme was country comprises ten regions. although mining companies have private launched by the Guyana government and the goods lines. Topography: Guyana has three distinct Commonwealth Secretariat. geographical zones. It has a narrow coastal There are some 1,600 km of navigable river, Wildlife: The tapir is the largest land belt, seldom more than 25 km wide and 1,000 km of which are in areas of some mammal; cats include the jaguar and ocelot. much of it 1–1.5 metres below sea level, economic activity. Passenger and cargo Monkeys and deer are the most numerous where sugar and rice are grown and 90 per vessels travel up the Demerara, Essequibo species, and caimans are the largest cent of the people live. In the far interior are and Berbice Rivers, and also along the coast freshwater animal. The giant anaconda or high savannah uplands; between these, thick, between the rivers. Apart from the Demerara, water boa is also found in the rivers. The hilly tropical forest covers most of the land which has a road bridge, the other major wealth of plant, animal and micro-organism area. For the country as a whole forest covers rivers have to be crossed by ferries, which can species includes many so far unrecorded, 77 per cent of the land area. In the forest take some hours for the wider rivers. At the whose properties are unknown to science. zone are found most of the country’s Corentyne River ferry services link Guyana Some 11 species of mammals and 11 species resources of bauxite, diamonds, gold, with Suriname. of birds are thought to be endangered manganese and other minerals. Guyana’s (2014). Georgetown is the main port, and the massive rivers include the Demerara, Berbice, international airport is Cheddi Jagan Essequibo and Corentyne; rapids, bars and Main towns: Georgetown (capital, pop. International Airport, at Timehri, 40 km from other obstacles make navigation difficult. 118,363 in 2012), Linden (27,277), New Georgetown; larger towns and many mining Kaieteur Falls on the Potaro River has a drop Amsterdam (17,329), Anna Regina (11,793), companies have airports or landing strips. of 222 metres – five times the height of Corriverton (10,600), Bartica (8,500), Niagara. The Amerindian name ‘Guiana’ (part Rosignol, Skeldon and Vreed en Hoop. of the country’s former name) means ‘Land Georgetown is famous for its Dutch-inspired Society of Many Waters’. wooden architecture, street layout and KEY FACTS 2013 drainage canals. Climate: Guyana has a warm tropical climate Population per sq km: 4 with high rainfall and humidity. The rainy Transport: Surface travel in the interior of Life expectancy: 66 years seasons are November–January and May–July the country is hindered by dense forest, with an average rainfall of 2,350 mm p.a. in rapids on the rivers, and the generally Net primary enrolment: 72% the coastal region. Inland rainfall averages undeveloped character of the interior. Thus, Population: 800,000 (2013); distribution is 1,520 mm p.a. North-east trade winds apart from in the coastal belt and on one very uneven, with high concentration of moderate coastal temperatures. inland route, most journeys are by air. people along the coastal strip and many Environment: The most significant There are all-weather roads along the eastern inland areas virtually uninhabited; 28 per cent environmental issues are water pollution by part of the coast and some all-weather roads of people live in urban areas; growth 0.4 per sewage, and agricultural and industrial inland, including one across the country to cent p.a. 1990–2013, depressed over this chemicals; and deforestation. the border with Brazil, and about seven per period by emigration; birth rate 20 per 1,000 The CommonwealTh Yearbook 2015 Guyana people (38 in 1970); life expectancy 66 years Communications: Country code 592; (60 in 1970). internet domain ‘.gy’. Internet connections GDP by sector (2013) are slow but improving, and there are The ethnic origins of the people are: 44 per internet cafes in Georgetown. There are post Agriculture cent Indian (resident mostly in agricultural offices in the urban areas. 18.2% areas); 30 per cent African (mostly in towns); 17 per cent of mixed descent; nine per cent For every 1,000 people there are 196 Industry 34.4% Amerindian (mainly in the west and south, or landlines, 694 mobile phone subscriptions on reserves; data from 2002 census). and 330 internet users (2013). Services 47.4% Language: English is the official language, Public holidays: New Year’s Day, Republic Guyana being the only English-speaking Day (Mashramani, 23 February), Labour Day country in South America. An English-based (1 May), Arrival Day (5 May), Independence main cash crops are sugar and rice. After Creole is widely used; Hindi, Urdu and Day (26 May), CARICOM Day (first Monday in near collapse in 1982, the economy was Amerindian languages are also spoken. July), Emancipation Day (first Monday in resuscitated by strict implementation of IMF- August), Christmas Day and Boxing Day. backed economic reforms. The reforms Religion: Christians about 57 per cent Republic Day celebrations continue for about included extensive privatisation of state- (Pentecostals 17 per cent, Roman Catholics a week, though only one day is a public owned operations, some of which – for eight per cent, Anglicans seven per cent, holiday. example, the Sugar Corporation and Guyana Seventh Day Adventists five per cent), Hindus Airways Corporation – are now under private 28 per cent, Muslims seven per cent (2002 Religious and other festivals whose dates vary management and/or ownership. Privatisation census). from year to year include Prophet’s Birthday, Phagwah (Holi, March), Good Friday, Easter led to new investment and creation of new Health: Public spending on health was four Monday, Deepavali (Diwali, jobs. per cent of GDP in 2012. The Public Hospital October/November) and Eid al-Adha (Feast of By the mid-1990s, these reforms had had at Georgetown is the national referral the Sacrifice). success in stabilising the currency, controlling hospital; there are some 30 hospitals and inflation and increasing output and trade, many health centres throughout the country, Economy and the economy was growing at an annual with both public and private care available, rate of more than six per cent in 1996 and KEY FACTS 2013 the former usually free. Some 98 per cent of 1997. Inflation peaked at 83 per cent in the population uses an improved drinking GNI: US$3.1bn 1991, following substantial devaluations of water source and 84 per cent have access to GNI p.c.: US$3,750 the Guyana dollar, but was in single figures adequate sanitation facilities (2012). Infant from the mid-1990s, though it remained GDP growth: 4.6% p.a. 2009–13 mortality was 30 per 1,000 live births in 2013 relatively high until the late 2000s. (100 in 1960). In 2013, 1.4 per cent of Inflation: 2.9% p.a. 2009–13 The combination of drought, falling people aged 15–49 were HIV positive. The economy is based on agriculture and commodity prices and political uncertainty in Education: Public spending on education mining, notably of gold and bauxite; the 1998 caused growth to stall. The economy was three per cent of GDP in 2012. There are then grew very little during 1998–2005. From nine years of compulsory education starting Real growth in GDP 2006 there were signs that the economic at the age of six. Primary school comprises six policies supported by the international % 6 years and secondary five, with cycles of three % financial institutions were beginning to bear and two years. Some 83 per cent of pupils 5 fruit, until 2008 when collapsing world complete primary school (2008). The school demand caused the economy to moderate, year starts in September. 4 before returning to growth of 3.0–5.5 per Tertiary institutions include the University of cent p.a. in 2009–15. 3 g Guyana (established in 1963), which has law and medical schools, and campuses at 2 History Turkeyen, Georgetown, and Tain Corentyne, The original Guiana was inhabited by semi- Berbice (in the east of the country); Cyril Potter 1 nomadic Amerindian tribes who lived by College of Education, based at the Turkeyen 0 hunting and fishing – notably Arawaks and 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 campus of the university, with branches at Caribs.