第 117 页

Religions:

Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%

Languages:

English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Urdu

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 98.8%

male: 99.1%

female: 98.5% (2003 est.)

Government Guyana

Country name:

conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana

conventional short form: Guyana

former: British Guiana

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Georgetown

geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 10 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution:

6 October 1980

Legal system:

based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President Janet JAGAN and was 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 seats; members elected by popular vote, also not more than 4 non-elected non-voting ministers and 2 non-elected non-voting parliamentary secretaries appointed by the president; to 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

Political parties and 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]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Amerindian People's Association; Guyana Bar Association; Guyana Citizens Initiative; Guyana Human Rights Association; Guyana Public Service Union or GPSU; Private Sector Commission; Trades Union Congress

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRAN

chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900

FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador David M. ROBINSON

embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown

mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown; US Embassy, 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170

telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909

FAX: [592] 225-8497

Flag description:

green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border between the yellow and the green

Economy Guyana

Economy - overview:

The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in 2001-07, 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. Economic recovery since the 2005 flood-related contraction has been buoyed by increases in remittances and foreign direct investment. 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. In March 2007, the Inter-American Development Bank, Guyana's principal donor, canceled Guyana's nearly $470 million debt, equivalent to nearly 48% of GDP. The bauxite mining sector should benefit in the near term from restructuring and partial privatization, and the state-owned sugar industry will conduct efficiency increasing modernizations. 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 will broaden the country's export market, primarily in the raw materials sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.92 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.039 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.4% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,800 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 31.1%

industry: 21.7%

services: 47.1% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

418,000 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

9.1% (understated) (2000)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.3%

highest 10%: 33.8% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

43.2 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.2% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

41.1% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $446.2 million

expenditures: $531.2 million (2007 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, rice, shrimp, fish, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products

Industries:

bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:

-26.4% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

807.3 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 99.4%

hydro: 0.6%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

750.7 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2005)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

10,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

10,070 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2005)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance:

-$189 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$684 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber

Exports - partners:

US 18.8%, Canada 18.4%, UK 8.7%, Portugal 6.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.9%, Netherlands 4.3%, Belgium 4.3%, Jamaica 4.1% (2006)

Imports:

$950 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Imports - partners:

Trinidad and Tobago 23%, US 21.3%, China 9.7%, Cuba 6.3%, UK 4.5% (2006)

Economic aid - recipient:

$136.8 million (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$324 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.2 billion (2002)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$187.3 million (2005)

Currency (code):

Guyanese dollar (GYD)

Currency code:

GYD

Exchange rates:

Guyanese dollars per US dollar - 201.89 (2007), 200.28 (2006), 200.79 (2005), 198.31 (2004), 193.88 (2003)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Guyana

Telephones - main lines in use:

110,100 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

281,400 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: fair system for long-distance service

domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines; fixed-line teledensity is about 15 per 100 persons; many areas still lack fixed-line telephone services; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 37 per 100 persons in 2005

international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

420,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (1 public station; 2 private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)

Televisions:

46,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.gy

Internet hosts:

3,000 (2007)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (2000)

Internet users:

160,000 (2005)

Transportation Guyana

Airports:

93 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

under 914 m: 6 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 84

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m: 69 (2007)

Roadways:

total: 7,970 km

paved: 590 km

unpaved: 7,380 km (2000)

Waterways:

Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,516 GRT/14,193 DWT

by type: cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1

registered in other countries: 2 (St Vincent and The Grenadines 2, unknown 1) (2007)

Ports and terminals:

Georgetown

Military Guyana

Military branches:

Guyana Defense Force: Army (includes Coast Guard, Air Corps) (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 220,797 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 150,623 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.8% (2006)

Transnational Issues Guyana

Disputes - international:

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

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Guyana is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; most trafficking appears to take place in remote mining camps in the country's interior; some women and girls are trafficked from northern Brazil; reporting from other nations suggests Guyanese women and girls are trafficked for sexual exploitation to neighboring countries and Guyanese men and boys are subject to labor exploitation in construction and agriculture; trafficking victims from Suriname, Brazil, and Venezuela transit Guyana en route to Caribbean destinations

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, Guyana is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking, particularly in the area of law enforcement actions against trafficking offenders; the government has yet to produce an anti-trafficking conviction under the comprehensive Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act, which became law in 2005; the government operates no shelters for trafficking victims, but did include limited funding for anti-trafficking NGOs in its 2008 budget; the government did not make any effort to reduce demand for commercial sex acts during 2007 (2008)

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

This page was last updated on 15 July, 2008

The World Factbook

Haiti

Introduction Haiti

Background:

The native Taino Amerindians - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when it was discovered by COLUMBUS in 1492 - were virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola, and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint L'OUVERTURE. After a prolonged struggle, Haiti became the first black republic to declare its independence in 1804. The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. After an armed rebellion led to the forced resignation and exile of President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE in February 2004, an interim government took office to organize new elections under the auspices of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Continued violence and technical delays prompted repeated postponements, but Haiti finally did inaugurate a democratically elected president and parliament in May of 2006.