Guyana
Cooperative Republic of Guyana
Capital: Georgetown
History
Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black settlement of urban areas 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 reelected in 2001 and again in 2006. Donald RAMOTAR was elected president in 2011.
Geography
Metric Units
|
Total Area
|
214,969
sq km
|
| Land Boundaries |
2,949
km
|
| Border Countries |
Brazil 1,606 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km |
| Coastline |
459
km
|
| Terrain |
mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south |
| Minimum Elevation |
0
m
|
| Maximum Elevation |
2,835
m
|
| Climate |
tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January) |
| Natural Resources |
bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish |
| Arable Land |
1.95% |
| Permanent Crops |
0.13% |
Economy
Budget & Debt
Trade
| Exports |
$1.23 billion |
| Export Items |
sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber |
| Export Partners |
Canada 29%, US 28.6%, UK 4.9%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.3%, Jamaica 4.3%, Netherlands 4% (2011) |
| Imports |
$1.85 billion |
| Import Items |
manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food |
| Import Partners |
US 21.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 20%, China 8.3%, South Africa 7.5%, Cuba 5.5% (2011) |
People
| Population |
739,903 |
| Population Growth |
-0.21% |
| Ethnic Groups |
East Indian 43.5%, black (African) 30.2%, mixed 16.7%, Amerindian 9.1%, other 0.5% (2002 census) |
| Religion |
Protestant 30.5% (Pentecostal 16.9%, Anglican 6.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%, Methodist 1.7%), Hindu 28.4%, Roman Catholic 8.1%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, Muslim 7.2%, other Christian 17.7%, other 4.3%, none 4.3% (2002 census) |
| Life Expectancy |
67.68 years |
| Infant Mortality |
0.99 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Maternal Mortality |
0.5 deaths/100,000 live births |
Energy
