ivers (all
headwaters of the Courantyne)
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons
(May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)
Terrain:
mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Natural resources:
bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Land use:
arable land 3%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 6%; forest and
woodland 83%; other 8%; includes irrigated 1%
Environment:
flash floods a constant threat during rainy seasons; water pollution

:Guyana People

Population:
739,431 (July 1992), growth rate - 0.6% (1992)
Birth rate:
21 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
7 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
-20 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
50 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
61 years male, 68 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.4 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Guyanese (singular and plural); adjective - Guyanese
Ethnic divisions:
East Indian 51%, black and mixed 43%, Amerindian 4%, European and Chinese 2%
Religions:
Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1%
Languages:
English, Amerindian dialects
Literacy:
95% (male 98%, female 96%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1990
est.)
Labor force:
268,000; industry and commerce 44.5%, agriculture 33.8%, services 21.7%;
public-sector employment amounts to 60-80% of the total labor force (1985)
Organized labor:
34% of labor force

:Guyana Government

Long-form name:
Co-operative Republic of Guyana
Type:
republic
Capital:
Georgetown
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; formerly British Guiana)
Constitution:
6 October 1980
Legal system:
based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Executive branch:
executive president, first vice president, prime minister, first deputy
prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Ass