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Background: 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. This 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, Jane JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001.
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Common Name: Guyana
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Local Official Name: Guyana
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Abbreviated Name: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
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Official Name: Guyana
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Official Script Name: Guyana
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Local Common Name: Guyana
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Former Name: British Guiana
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Territory of: NA
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Head of State: President Bharrat JAGDEO
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Government Type: republic
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Independence: 1966 May 26 (from UK)
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Constitution: 1980 October 6
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National Holiday: Republic Day, 23 February
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International Organization Participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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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
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Dependent Areas: NA
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Legal System: based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage: 18 years
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Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches: Executive Branch:
chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President Janet JAGAN and 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 members elected by popular vote, also not more than four non-elected non-voting ministers and two non-elected non-voting parliamentary secretaries appointed by the president; members 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
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Party 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]
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International Disputes: all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) is claimed by Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks arbitration under provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters
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Illicit Drugs: transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis; rising money laundering related to drug trafficking and human smuggling
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Location of Guyana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela
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Continent: South America
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Land Area Total: 214,970 sq km
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Region: Southern American |
Land Area Land: 196,850 sq km
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Capitol City: Georgetown
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Land Area Water: 18,120 sq km
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Latitude: 005 00 N
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Border Boundary Land: 2,462 km
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Longitude: 059 00 W
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Border Boundary Coastline: 459 km
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Arable Land: 2.23 %
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Pastures: 0.00 %
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Crops: 0.14 %
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Woodlands and Forests: 0.00
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Highest Elevation: 2,835 m
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Location: Mount Roraima
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Lowest Elevation: 0 m
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Location: Atlantic Ocean
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Largest City in Guyana: Georgetown
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Georgetown Largest City Population: 275,000
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Threatened Species: 58
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Environmental Issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
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Environmental Agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Irrigated Land: 1,500
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Bordering Countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
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Natural Resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
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Geographical Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
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Comparative Area of Guyana: slightly smaller than Idaho
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Guyana's Geography: the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively
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General Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January)
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Natural Hazards: flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
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Economic Overview: The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in 2001-02, based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support of international organizations. Growth slowed in 2003 and came back gradually in 2004, buoyed largely by increased export earnings; it slowed again in 2005. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure. The government is juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. The bauxite mining sector should benefit in the near term from restructuring and partial privatization. Export earnings from agriculture and mining have fallen sharply, while the import bill has risen, driven by higher energy prices. Guyana's entrance into the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) in January 2006 might broaden the country's export market, primarily in the raw materials sector.
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GDP: $3,439,000,000 USD
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Currency: Guyanese dollar
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GDP per Capita: $4,500 USD
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Currency Code: GYD
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GDP Growth Rate: -3.00 %
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Currency Exchange Rate History: Guyanese dollars per US dollar - 200.79 (2005), 198.31 (2004), 193.88 (2003), 190.67 (2002), 187.32 (2001)
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GDP of Agriculture: 37.00 %
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GDP of Industry: 20.30 %
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GDP of Services: 42.70 % |
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Inflation Rate: 6.90 % |
Population in Poverty: 0.00 %
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Unemployment Rate: 9.10 %
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Tourism: 75,000.00 visitors each year
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Consumption by lowest 10%: 0.00 %
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Budget Revenue in USD: $320,100,000 USD
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Consumption by upper 10%: 0.00 %
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Budget Expenditures in USD: $362,600,000 USD
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Electricity Production: 779,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Exports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Consumption: 724,500,000 kWh
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Electricity Imports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Production by Source:
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Fossil Fuel Electricity Production: 99.01%
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Nuclear Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Hydro Electricity Production: 0.99%
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Other Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Oil Production: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Production: 0 cu m
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Oil Consumption: 11,300 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Consumption: 0 cu m
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Oil Exports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Exports: 0 cu m
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Oil Imports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Imports: 0 cu m
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Proven Oil Reserves: 0 barrels
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Proven Natural Gas Reserves: 0 cu m
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External Debt: $1,200,000,000 USD |
Received in economic aid: $337,000,000 USD
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Donated in economic aid: $0 USD
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Agricultural Products: sugarcane, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish, shrimp
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Primary Industries: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining
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Industrial Growth Rate: 0.00 %
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Import Amount in USD: $681,600,000 USD - manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
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Import Partners: US 26.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 23.9%, Cuba 6.6%, UK 5%, China 4.1%
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Export Amount in USD: $587,200,000 USD - sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber
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Export Partners: Canada 18.9%, US 18.9%, UK 11.7%, Portugal 8.1%, Jamaica 5.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.2%
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GINI Index: 0.00%
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Labor Force Number of People: 418,000
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Labor Force by Occupations: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
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Radio Broadcast Stations: 7 |
Number of People with Radios: 420,000 |
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Television Broadcast Stations: 3 |
Number of People with Televisions: 46,000 |
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Number of People with Mainline Telephones: 110,100 |
Number of People with Mobile Phones: 281,400 |
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Internet Service Providers: 1,046 |
Internet Users: 160,000 |
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Internet Country Code: .gy |
Newspapers: 0 |
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Two Letter Country Code: GY |
Weights and Measures: |
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Phone Country Code: 592 |
Electricity Voltage: 240 Volts |
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Telephone Systems: general assessment: fair system for long-distance service
domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
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Highways: 590 km |
Railways: 187 km
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Gas And Oil Pipelines: 0 km |
Waterways: 5,900 km
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Airports: 9 |
Heliports: 0
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Motor Vehicles: 15 per 1,000 people |
CO2 Emissions: 1,022,000 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Per capita CO2 emissions: 1.20 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Merchant Marines: total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,461 GRT/15,155 DWT
by type: cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Germany 1)
registered in other countries: 4 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, unknown 1)
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Ports and Harbors: Georgetown
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Population: 767,245 people type - nationality |
Birth Rate: 18.28 births per 1,000 people |
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Population Density: 4.00 people per sq km |
Death Rate: 8.28 deaths per 1,000 people |
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Population Growth: 0.25% per year |
Fertility Rate per Women: 2.04 babies born per woman |
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Population Male 0-14: 102,551 |
Population Female 0-14: 98,772 |
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Population Male 15-64: 265,139 |
Population Female 15-64: 260,892 |
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Population Male 65+: 17,043 |
Population Female 65+: 22,794 |
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Population 0-14: 26.20% |
Literacy Rate: 98.80% |
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Population 15-64: 68.60% |
Literacy rate of Males: 99.10% |
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Population 65+: 5.20% |
Literacy rate of Females: 98.50% |
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Population that is Male: 50.50
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Population that is Female: 49.50% |
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Life expectancy at birth in years: 65.86 years |
Infant mortality rate - baby deaths per 1000 births: 32.19 Babies die per 1,000 births |
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Life expectancy at birth for Males: 63.21 years |
Life expectancy at birth for Females: 68.85 years |
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Rate of AIDS/HIV infection: 2.50%
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Number of people living with AIDS or HIV: 11,000
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Number of people who died of AIDS: 1,100 |
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Disease Risk:
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Diseases:
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Net Migration Rate per 1,000 people: -7.49
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Nationality: GUYANESE
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Ethnic Groups: East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and mixed 7%
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Primary Language: English
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Other Languages: English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu
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Primary Religion: Christian
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Other Religions: Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%
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Branches: Guyana Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Corps
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Manpower Fit to Serve: NA years
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Manpower Available: 206,098 People
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 137,964 People
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Amount of Manpower Available each Year: 0 People per year
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Expenditures: $0 USD per year
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Expenditures as a Percentage of GDP: 0.90
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Note: Phrasebase uses a variety of sources when compiling the facts and information presented above. This information is continually updated throughout the year.
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Guyana Spa and Resort Directory
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Guyana Home Exchanges and Home Swaps
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Guyana Vacation Rentals And Holiday Villas
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