THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to former slaves settling urban areas and indentured servants being imported 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 primarily socialist-oriented governments have ruled the country. 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. Donald RAMOTAR won in 2011, but early elections held in 2015 resulted in the first change in governing party, and David GRANGER took office. After a 2018 no-confidence vote against the GRANGER government, the administration ignored a constitutional requirement to hold elections and remained in place until the 2020 elections, when Irfaan ALI became president. The discovery of massive offshore oil reserves in 2015 has been Guyana's primary economic and political focus, with many hoping the reserves will transform one of the poorest countries in the region. Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America and shares cultural and historical bonds with the Anglophone Caribbean.

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
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho; almost twice the size of Tennessee
Land boundaries: total: 2,933 km
border countries: 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: highest point: Laberintos del Norte on Mount Roraima 2,775 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 207 m
Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Land use: agricultural land: 3.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 0.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 2.8% (2023 est.)
forest: 87.1% (2023 est.)
other: 9.5% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,430 sq km (2012)
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km)
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
Geography - note: the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay; contains some of the largest unspoiled rainforests on the continent

Population: total: 794,099 (2024 est.)
male: 405,244
female: 388,855
Nationality: noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Guyanese
Ethnic groups: East Indian 39.8%, African descent 29.3%, mixed 19.9%, Indigenous 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%, other Christian 20.8%, Roman Catholic 7.1%, Muslim 6.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 0.5%, other 0.9%, none 3.1% (2012 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.5% (male 95,223/female 91,272)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 281,669/female 261,261)
65 years and over: 8.1% (2024 est.) (male 28,352/female 36,322)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 46.3 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 34.3 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 11.9 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 8.4 (2024 est.)
Median age: total: 28.7 years (2025 est.)
male: 28.2 years
female: 28.4 years
Population growth rate: 0.35% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 16.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 7.05 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -6.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
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
Urbanization: urban population: 27.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 110,000 GEORGETOWN (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 20.8 years (2009 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 75 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 20.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 23.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.4 years (2024 est.)
male: 70.6 years
female: 74.3 years
Total fertility rate: 2.04 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 96% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 95.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 95.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 4.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 4.1% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 4.9% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 10.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 1.39 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density: 2.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 98.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 20.2% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 5.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 2.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 2.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 9.2% (2025 est.)
male: 16.9% (2025 est.)
female: 1.9% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 9.4% (2019 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 59% (2020 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 6.3% (2020)
women married by age 18: 32.3% (2020)
men married by age 18: 11.9% (2020)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 4.5% of GDP (2018 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 7.2% national budget (2025 est.)
Literacy: total population: 85.6% (2020 est.)
male: 84.2% (2020 est.)
female: 86.9% (2020 est.)

Environmental issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural/industrial chemicals; deforestation
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January)
Land use: agricultural land: 3.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 0.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 2.8% (2023 est.)
forest: 87.1% (2023 est.)
other: 9.5% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 27.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 2.639 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 2.635 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 4,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 11.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Methane emissions: energy: 103 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 51.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 7.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 2.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 179,300 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 23% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 61.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 20.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 1.363 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 271 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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; the name Guiana may be derived from a local term meaning "Land of Water" (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)
etymology: the British founded the town in 1781 and named it in honor of King GEORGE III (1738-1820)
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
Legal system: common law system, based on the English model, with some Roman-Dutch civil law influence
Constitution: history: several previous; latest promulgated 6 October 1980
amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, such as national sovereignty, government structure and powers, and constitutional amendment procedures, requires approval by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum, and assent of the president; other amendments only require Assembly approval
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: na
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Mohammed Irfaan ALI (since 2 August 2020)
head of government: President Mohammed Irfaan ALI (since 2 August 2020)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
election/appointment process: the predesignated candidate of the winning party in the last National Assembly election becomes president for a 5-year term (no term limits); prime minister appointed by the president
most recent election date: 1 September 2025
election results: 2025: Mohammed Irfaan ALI (PPP/C) reelected president by the majority party in the National Assembly2020: Mohammed Irfaan ALI (PPP/C) designated president by the majority party in the National Assembly2015: David GRANGER (APNU-AFC) designated president by the majority party in the National Assembly
expected date of next election: August 2030
Legislative branch: legislature name: Parliament of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana
legislative structure: unicameral
chamber name: National Assembly
number of seats: 72 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 9/1/2025
parties elected and seats per party: People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) (36); We Invest in Nationhood (W.I.N.) (16); A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) (12); Other (1)
percentage of women in chamber: 36.1%
expected date of next election: August 2030
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); Caribbean Court of Justice is the final court of appeal in civil and criminal cases
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: A New and United Guyana or ANUGA Partnership for National Unity or APNUAlliance for Change or AFCJustice for All PartyLiberty and Justice Party or LJPNational Independent Party or NIPPeople's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/CThe New Movement or TNMThe United Force or TUFUnited Republican Party or URP
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel Archibald HINDS (since 7 July 2021)
chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900
FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297
email address and website: guyanaembassydc@verizon.nethttp://www.guyanaembassydc.org/
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nicole THERIOT (since 14 October 2023)
embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
mailing address: 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170
telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909
FAX: [592] 225-8497
email address and website: acsgeorge@state.govhttps://gy.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: ACP, ACS, 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, PROSUR, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence: 26 May 1966 (from the UK)
National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Flag: description: green with a red isosceles triangle (based on the left side) on top of a long yellow arrowhead shape that extends to the opposite side of the flag; a narrow black border sits between the red and yellow, and a narrow white border between the yellow and greenmeaning: green stands for forest and foliage, yellow for mineral resources and a bright future, white for the rivers, red for zeal and the people's sacrifice, and black for perseverance
National symbol(s): Canje pheasant (hoatzin), jaguar, Victoria Regia water lily
National color(s): red, yellow, green, black, white
National coat of arms: Guyana’s coat of arms was adopted in 1966, the year of the country’s independence from the United Kingdom; the jaguars signify strength and resilience, with one holding a pickaxe that stands for labor and the other holding stalks of rice and sugarcane for agriculture; two national symbols, the Canje pheasant and the Victorian lily, are on the shield, with the national motto underneath; three wavy blue lines stand for the Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice rivers, the headdress for the country’s ethnic groups, and the diamonds for the mining industry; the helmet is a symbol of past UK rule in Guyana
National anthem(s): title: "Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains"
lyrics/music: Archibald Leonard LUKERL/Robert Cyril Gladstone POTTER
history: adopted 1966

Economic overview: small, hydrocarbon-driven South American export economy; major forest coverage being leveraged in carbon credit offsets to encourage preservation; strengthening financial sector; large bauxite and gold resources
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $58.423 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $40.749 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $30.457 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 43.4% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 33.8% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 63.3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $70,300 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $49,300 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $37,100 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $24.836 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 2.9% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 2.8% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 6.1% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 8% (2024 est.)
industry: 74.3% (2024 est.)
services: 15.3% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: rice, sugarcane, plantains, cassava, papayas, pumpkins/squash, chicken, milk, ginger, eggplants (2023)
Industries: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate: 53.3% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 292,200 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 10.2% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 12.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 12.1% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 22.3% (2024 est.)
male: 17.4% (2024 est.)
female: 28.1% (2024 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2023: 3.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 3.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 6.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.333 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $1.467 billion (2019 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2016: 50.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2023: $2.352 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $4.242 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: -$1.36 billion (2021 est.)
Exports: Exports 2023: $13.739 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $11.517 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $4.594 billion (2021 est.)
Exports - partners: USA 20%, Trinidad & Tobago 11%, Netherlands 10%, Singapore 10%, Germany 7% (2023)
Exports - commodities: crude petroleum, railway cargo containers, gold, ships, rice (2023)
Imports: Imports 2023: $10.956 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $7.033 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $6.588 billion (2021 est.)
Imports - partners: USA 28%, China 13%, Trinidad & Tobago 11%, Brazil 5%, Bahamas, The 4% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, ships, construction vehicles, excavation machinery, cars (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $1.01 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $895.275 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $917.877 million (2022 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $1.805 billion (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: Guyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 208.5 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 208.5 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 208.5 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 208.5 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 208.5 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 93% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 98%
electrification - rural areas: 91.6%
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 259,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 1.07 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 268.803 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 92.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 5.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 391,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 18,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Natural gas: consumption: 1.991 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 1.991 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 46.045 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 125,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 856,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (2021 est.)
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; government limits on licensing of new private radio stations has constrained competition
Internet country code: .gy
Internet users: percent of population: 82% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 106,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2022 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 8R
Airports: 55 (2025)
Merchant marine: total: 80 (2023)
by type: general cargo 45, oil tanker 10, other 25
Ports: total ports: 3 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 1
small: 0
very small: 2
ports with oil terminals: 3
key ports: Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam

Military and security forces: the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) is a unified force with ground, air, and coast guard components, as well as the Guyana National Reserve (2026)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 0.9% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 3,500 active-duty Guyana Defense Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military has a limited inventory comprised mostly of older or secondhand platforms imported from a variety of foreign suppliers, including Brazil, China, India, the former Soviet Union, the UK, and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age or older for voluntary military service; no conscription (2026)
Military - note: the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) was established in 1965; its primary missions are territorial defense, maritime security, search and rescue, medical evacuation, aviation and engineering support, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, peace support operations, and community engagement; key areas of concern include illegal fishing, narcotics trafficking, piracy, porous borders, and threats from Venezuela over disputed territory; the GDF participates in both bilateral and multinational exercises and has relationships with Brazil, China, France, the UK, and the USGuyana joined the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) in 2022; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 79 (2024 est.)

Guyana