Facts about Guyana

1. Names and rivers: The name ‘Guyana’ comes from the Indian word ‘Guiana’, which means “the land of many rivers”. The 4 longest rivers in Guyana are the Essequibo, Courantyne, Berbice and Demerara (Essequibo is the longest)

2. Dutch: In the 1600s, Guyana became a Dutch colony, where the Dutch built diesel systems to manage the rivers and establish agriculture

3. British: In 1815, the British took power in Guyana, resulting in the country being called British Guiana. It wasn’t until 1966 that Guyana gained independence from the British

4. Population composition: Guyana’s population is primarily made up of Indians (Hindustani/East Indians) and Africans (43.5% and 30.2% respectively), all descendants of the slaves brought to the country by the Dutch and British in the past. In addition, there are also people of mixed ancestry (16.7%) and indigenous Indians (9.1%)

5. The coastal area: Around 90% of Guyana’s population live on a narrow part of the country’s coastal area, which makes up about 10% of the country’s total area

Fact: Cricket is the national sport of Guyana — Attribution: John+Elaine Chesterton – Flickr.com

Fact: In Guyana, cricket is the most popular sport due to the country’s large Indian population and its history as a British colony

6. Motto: Guyana’s national motto is: ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’, which means “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”

7. Rainforest: Around 70% of Guyana’s area is covered by rainforest

8. Flag: Guyana’s flag is also called ‘The Golden Arrow Head’, which means “The Golden Spearhead”. The flag has been in use since 1966, when Guyana won its independence from the British

9. Jim Jones: On November 18, 1978, American religious cult leader Jim Jones committed mass suicide along with his 909 followers in Jonestown, Guyana. This tragedy made the country world famous

10. Sport: The biggest sport in Guyana is cricket and in international cricket competitions the country is part of the ‘West Indies cricket team’, which used to be the strongest team in the world

Fact: Guyana is home to a number of rivers — Attribution: John+Elaine Chesterton + madmack66 + sorenriise – Flickr.com

There are a lot of rivers in Guyana, which is why it’s called the ‘Land of many waters’. Pictured in the center is ‘Kaieteur Falls’

Geographic facts

Location: The northern part of South America. Between Suriname and Venezuela with coastline facing the North Atlantic Ocean
Country borders: Brazil (1,606 km), Suriname (600 km) and Venezuela (743 km)
Coastline: 459 km
Climate: Tropical; hot and humid - but regulated by northeast trade winds. There are 2 rainy seasons (May - August and November - January)
Landscape: Mainly undulating highlands. Also low-lying coastal plains and savannah in the south of the country
Lowest point: 0 m (Atlantic Ocean)
Highest point: 2,835 m (Mount Roraima)
Natural resources: Bauxite, gold, diamonds, raw wood, shrimp and fish
Largest city: Georgetown
Capital city: Georgetown
Total area (square kilometers): n/a
Land areas (km2): n/a
Urban areas (km2): n/a
Agricultural land (km2): n/a
Agricultural area (% of total area): n/a
Forest area (% of land area): n/a
Plant species (higher), endangered: n/a
CO2 emissions (metric tons per capita): n/a

Demographic facts

Population

Population density (people per km2 total area): 813.834,00 (2023)
Population of largest city: 1,50 (2022)
Population growth (annual %): n/a
Population, total: n/a
Population growth in urban areas (annual %): n/a
Population in urban areas (% of total population): n/a
Population in rural areas (% of total population): 45,66 (2019)
Population growth in rural areas (annual %): 13,17 (2019)
Etniske grupper: 43.5% Indian (Hindustani), 30.2% African, 16.7% mixed race, 9.1% Indian and 0.5% other
Sprog: Engelsk, indianske dialekter, kreolsprog, caribisk hindustani (en dialekt af hindi) og urdu
Religioner: English, Native American dialects, Creole, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi) and Urdu
Net immigration: 819,00 (2020)

Birth and death rates

Fertility rate, total (births per woman): 4,90 (2023)
Birth rate, gross (per 1,000 inhabitants): 19,90 (2022)
Teenage mothers (% of women aged 15-19 who have had children or are pregnant): 27,16 (2023)
Death rate, gross (per 1,000 people): 9,76 (2022)
Life expectancy at birth, women (years): 65,99 (2022)
Life expectancy at birth, men (years): 93.659,16 (2022)
Life expectancy at birth, all (years): 90,03 (2022)
Mortality caused by traffic accidents (per 100,000 inhabitants): 331,25 (2022)
Mortality, women (per 1,000 adult women): 17,40 (2019)
Mortality, male (per 1,000 adult males): 63,00 (2019)
Suicide rate, women (per 100,000 women): 22,30 (2022)
Mortality, infant (per 1,000 live births): 1,58 (2020)

Work, income and education

Wage earners, total (% of total labor force): n/a
Income share of the highest 10%: 1,20 (1998)
Income share of the lowest 10%: 85,32 (2022)
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force): 5,04 (2020)
Labor force, total: 62,78 (2022)
Workforce with basic education (% of the workforce): 295.000,00 (2023)
Labor force with medium education (% of labor force): 69,40 (2022)
Number of poor cf. national poverty limits (% of the population): n/a
Proportion of the population with moderate or severe food insecurity (%): 72,84 (2023)
School enrolments, primary school (gross %): 12,10 (2020)
Youth unemployment, all young people (% of total labor force aged 15 - 24): 65,59 (2022)
Young people not in education, employment or training, total (% of all young people): 18,00 (2009)
Literacy/literacy, total adults (% of population over 15): 106,39 (2021)

Spending

Household (and NPIS) consumption expenditure (US$): 2,59 (2021)
Electricity consumption (kWh per inhabitant): 5,65 (2022)
Inhabitants using the Internet (% of the population): 86.400,00 (2020)
Mobile subscriptions (per 100 people): 203,31 (2022)
Number of smokers, total (over 15 years): 26,69 (2019)
Alcohol consumption per capita (litres of pure alcohol, expected estimates, +15 years): 1,15 (2023)

Business and tourism

Employers, total (% of total labor force): 2,37 (2022)
New companies (number of registrations): 1,41 (2020)
New businesses (new registrations per 1,000 inhabitants aged 15 - 64): 3,48 (2020)
Listed companies, total: 11,00 (2018)
Business conditions (0 = lowest grade to 100 = highest grade): 0,44 (2023)
International tourism, number of arrivals: 51,47 (2019)
International tourism, number of departures: 64,88 (2019)
Railway lines (total route kilometers): 0,44 (2023)
Railways, number of passengers transported (million passenger-kilometres): 98,95 (2023)

Health

Hospital beds (per 1,000 inhabitants): 34,40 (1998)
Suicide rate, men (per 100,000 men): -3.900,00 (2023)
Nurses and midwives (per 1,000 inhabitants): 4,09 (2021)
Doctors (per 1,000 inhabitants): 0,63 (2023)
Prevalence of HIV, total (% of population aged 15 - 49): 134,48 (2023)

Facts Guyana's economy

GDP and GNI

BNP (US$): 0,78 (2023)
GDP growth (annual %): 55,49 (2019)
GDP per capita (US$): 16.786.302.158,27 (2023)
GDP, KPP (US$): 33,02 (2023)
BNI (US$): 20.626,20 (2023)
GNI growth (annual %): 44.974.521.636,05 (2023)
Gross savings (% of GDP): 15.206.302.158,27 (2023)

Inflation, interest rates and consumer prices

Deposit rate (%): 12,85 (2021)
Lending rate (%): 9,20 (2019)
Inflation, consumer prices (annual %): 9.982.105.515,59 (2022)
Consumer Price Index (2010 = 100): 134,48 (2023)

Trade and production

Trade (% of GDP): 194,35 (2005)
Vareeksport (US$): 274.796.163,07 (2022)
Vareimport (US$): 13.059.000.000,00 (2023)
Food exports (% of merchandise exports): 10,07 (2023)
Food imports (% of goods imports): 111,69 (2022)
Food Production Index (2004 - 2006 = 100): 3.151.933.993,17 (2005)
Index of animal production (2004 - 2006 = 100): 8,38 (2023)

Industry

Industry (including construction), value added (% of GDP): 17,48 (2005)
Industry (including construction), value added (US$): 67,82 (2022)
Industry, value added (% of GDP): 153,54 (2022)
Industry, value added (US$): 1,87 (2022)

Military

Armed forces, total: 3.000,00 (2020)
Military expenditure (% of GDP): 6.478.000.000,00 (2023)
Military Expenditure (US$): 0,57 (2022)

Others

Current health expenditure (% of GDP): 12,85 (2021)
Labor tax and contribution (% of company profit): 2,82 (2023)
Development Assistance (ODA) received per capita (US$): 84.257.932,29 (2022)
Social contributions (% of income): 246,04 (2022)

Geographic facts