Country Profile: Guyana

Guyana, located in Northern South America, is bordered by the North Atlantic Ocean, Suriname, and Venezuela. With a population of approximately 794,000, it is an ethnically diverse nation, primarily influenced by its historical ties to both the British and Dutch colonial eras. The economy is rapidly growing, largely driven by the discovery of significant offshore oil reserves, while the country operates as a parliamentary republic. Guyana faces challenges in governance due to its political history, yet it maintains a commitment to environmental conservation within its extensive forested regions.

Geography

Guyana occupies an area of 214,969 sq km, making it the third smallest country in South America, after Suriname and Uruguay. The terrain is mostly rolling highlands with a low coastal plain and savanna in the south. The climate is tropical, characterized by high humidity and moderated by northeast trade winds, with two rainy seasons from May to August and November to January.

93.5% of the land is covered by forests (2022).
It shares borders with Brazil (1,308 km), Suriname (836 km), and Venezuela (789 km).
The capital city, Georgetown, is located along the Atlantic coast.

People and Society

As of 2024, Guyana's population is estimated to be 794,099, with a demographic composition that includes 39.8% of East Indian descent and 29.3% of African descent. The official language is English, reflecting the country's colonial history, and a variety of other languages are also spoken. Guyana has a young population with a median age of 28.3 years.

27.2% of the population lives in urban areas (2023).
Life expectancy is 72.4 years (2024).
The birth rate stands at 16.7 births per 1,000 population (2024).

Economy

Guyana's economy is characterized by rapid growth, propelled by its emerging oil industry. In 2024, the real GDP is estimated at $58.423 billion, representing a remarkable growth rate of 43.4%. The economy is primarily driven by the industrial sector, which constitutes 74.3% of GDP, followed by services at 15.3% and agriculture at 8%.

10.2% is the unemployment rate (2024).
Exports reached $13.739 billion (2023), primarily consisting of crude petroleum and gold.
The country has significant reserves of foreign exchange and gold estimated at $1.01 billion (2024).

Government

Guyana operates as a parliamentary republic, with its capital at Georgetown. The President serves as both the head of state and government, currently held by Mohammed Irfaan Ali since August 2020. The country's political landscape has been shaped by a history of socialist-oriented governance and ethnic divisions.

The government structure consists of a unicameral legislature known as the Parliament of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana with 69 elected members.
Universal suffrage is established at 18 years.
The constitution was last amended on October 6, 1980.

Military and Security

The Guyana Defense Force (GDF) encompasses ground, air, and naval components with a strength of approximately 3,500 active-duty personnel. The military's primary objectives include territorial defense, maritime security, and humanitarian assistance.

Military expenditures are about 0.9% of GDP (2024).
There is no conscription; service is voluntary for ages 18-25.
Guyana participates in regional security collaborations, including the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS).

Energy

Guyana has a growing energy sector dominated by fossil fuels, with electricity access reaching 93% of the population by 2022. The installed generating capacity includes a significant reliance on fossil fuels, but there are efforts to diversify energy sources.

Total petroleum production is estimated at 391,000 bbl/day (2023).
Electricity consumption is approximately 1.07 billion kWh (2023).
92.9% of installed capacity comes from fossil fuels (2023).

Environment

Guyana is notable for its vast rainforests and biodiversity, but it faces environmental challenges such as water pollution from agricultural runoff and deforestation. The country is party to numerous international environmental agreements aimed at biodiversity and climate change mitigation.

Deforestation and water pollution are significant environmental issues.
It maintains 271 billion cubic meters of total renewable water resources (2020).
Urbanization is occurring at an annual rate of 1.01% (2020-2025).

Transportation

Guyana's transportation infrastructure includes 55 airports and a merchant marine fleet of 80 vessels. While the primary port is Georgetown, the network requires further development to support economic growth.

The country has 3 key ports with oil terminals.
15 fixed-line telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants (2022).
There are 856,000 mobile cellular subscriptions (2021).

Communications

The communication sector in Guyana is developing, with a broad internet access rate of 82% (2023). The media landscape is largely government-controlled, which can affect competition and freedom of the press.

There are 125,000 fixed-line telephone subscriptions (2021).
106,000 fixed broadband subscriptions (2022).

Key Metrics

Metric	Value	Note
Population	794,099	2024 estimate
Area	214,969 sq km	Total area
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)	$58.423 billion	2024 estimate
Unemployment Rate	10.2%	2024 estimate
Life Expectancy	72.4 years	2024 estimate
Birth Rate	16.7 births/1,000 population	2024 estimate
Energy Consumption per Capita	46.045 million Btu/person	2023 estimate
Military Expenditures	0.9% of GDP	2024 estimate
Urban Population	27.2%	2023 estimate
Total Renewable Water Resources	271 billion cubic meters	2020 estimate