Ethnic groups:
East Indian 43.5%, black (African) 30.2%, mixed 16.7%, Amerindian 9.1%, other 0.5% (2002 census)
Religions:
Hindu 28.4%, Pentecostal 16.9%, Roman Catholic 8.1%, Anglican 6.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 5%, Methodist 1.7%, Jehovah Witness 1.1%, other Christian 17.7%, Muslim 7.2%, other 4.3%, none 4.3% (2002 census)
Languages:
English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Urdu
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98.8% male: 99.1% female: 98.5% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
8.3% of GDP (2006)
Government
Guyana
Country name:
conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Georgetown geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 10 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 UK)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Constitution:
6 October 1980
Legal system:
based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President Janet JAGAN and was reelected in 2001, and again in 2006 head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since October 1992, except for a period as chief of state after the death of President Cheddi JAGAN on 6 March 1997) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature elections: president elected by popular vote as leader of a party list in parliamentary elections, which must be held at least every five years (no term limits); elections last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of vote 54.6%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (65 seats; members elected by popular vote, also not more than 4 non-elected non-voting ministers and 2 non-elected non-voting parliamentary secretaries appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PPP/C 54.6%, PNC/R 34%, AFC 8.1%, other 3.3%; seats by party - PPP/C 36, PNC/R 22, AFC 5, other 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Judicature, consisting of the High Court and the
Judicial Court of Appeal, with right of final appeal to the
Caribbean Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Change or AFC [Raphael TROTMAN and Khemraj RAMJATTAN];
Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Justice for All Party [C.N.
SHARMA]; People's National Congress/Reform or PNC/R [Robert Herman
Orlando CORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat
JAGDEO]; Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United
Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; The Unity Party [Joey JAGAN]; Vision
Guyana [Peter RAMSAROOP]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [Rupert
ROOPNARAINE]
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; Private Sector Commission; Trades Union
Congress
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
(subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRAN 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 John Melvin JONES 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
Economy
Guyana
Economy
