Guyana (2005) | Cayman Islands (2001) | |
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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 | 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 26.4% (male 103,054/female 99,279)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 263,953/female 260,000) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 16,801/female 22,196) (2005 est.) |
0-14 years:
22.21% (male 3,807; female 4,084) 15-64 years: 69.74% (male 12,102; female 12,676) 65 years and over: 8.05% (male 1,318; female 1,540) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | sugarcane, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish, shrimp | vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming |
Airports | 49 (2004 est.) | 3 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.) |
total:
2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 41
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.) |
total:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 214,970 sq km
land: 196,850 sq km water: 18,120 sq km |
total:
259 sq km land: 259 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Idaho | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
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, but until the early 1990s it was 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. Upon his death five years later, he was succeeded by his wife Janet, who resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001. | The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica from 1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former became independent. |
Birth rate | 18.45 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 13.79 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $287.6 million
expenditures: $371.6 million, including capital expenditures of $93.4 million (2004 est.) |
revenues:
$265.2 million expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
Capital | Georgetown | George Town |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January) | tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) |
Coastline | 459 km | 160 km |
Constitution | 6 October 1980 | 1959, revised 1972 and 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Cayman Islands |
Currency | - | Caymanian dollar (KYD) |
Death rate | 8.32 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 5.15 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $1.2 billion (2002) | $70 million (1996) |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Roland BULLEN
embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909 FAX: [592] 225-8497 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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 UNCLOS arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC) $253 million (1997) | $NA |
Economy - 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 then slowed in 2003 and came back gradually in 2004, buoyed largely by increased export earnings. 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. | With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 1997, including almost 600 banks and trust companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million visitors in 1997. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world. |
Electricity - consumption | 751.4 million kWh (2002) | 306.9 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 808 million kWh (2002) | 330 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m |
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: The Bluff 43 m |
Environment - current issues | water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation | no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchment |
Environment - international 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 |
- |
Ethnic groups | East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and mixed 7% | mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% |
Exchange rates | Guyanese dollars per US dollar - 198.33 (2004), 193.88 (2003), 190.67 (2002), 187.32 (2001), 182.43 (2000) | Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President Janet JAGAN
head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since December 1997) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature elections: president elected by the majority party in the National Assembly following legislative elections, which must be held at least every five years; elections last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held by March 2006); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of legislative vote - NA% |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Governor and President of the Executive Council Peter SMITH (since 5 May 1999) head of government: Kurt TIBBETTS (since November 2000) cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch |
Exports | NA | $1.5 million (1998) |
Exports - commodities | sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber | turtle products, manufactured consumer goods |
Exports - partners | Canada 23.2%, US 19.2%, UK 10.9%, Portugal 9%, Belgium 6.4%, Jamaica 5.2% (2004) | mostly US |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $930 million (1997 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 38.3%
industry: 19.9% services: 41.8% (2004 est.) |
agriculture:
1.4% industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2004 est.) | purchasing power parity - $24,500 (1997 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.9% (2004 est.) | 4.9% (1999 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 5 00 N, 59 00 W | 19 30 N, 80 30 W |
Geography - note | 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 | important location between Cuba and Central America |
Highways | total: 7,970 km
paved: 590 km unpaved: 7,380 km (1999 est.) |
total:
406 km paved: 304 km unpaved: 102 km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis | vulnerable to drug money laundering and drug transshipment to the US and Europe |
Imports | NA | $507.6 million (1998) |
Imports - commodities | manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food | foodstuffs, manufactured goods |
Imports - partners | Trinidad and Tobago 24.8%, US 24.5%, Cuba 6.8%, UK 5.4% (2004) | US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan |
Independence | 26 May 1966 (from UK) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 7.1% (1997 est.) | NA% |
Industries | bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining | tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture |
Infant mortality rate | total: 33.26 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 36.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 29.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
10.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4.5% (2004 est.) | 3% (1998) |
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, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | Caricom (observer), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 16 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 1,500 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court of Judicature; Judicial Court of Appeal; High Court | Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 418,000 (2001 est.) | 19,820 (1995) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% | agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,462 km
border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.44%
permanent crops: 0.15% other: 97.41% (2001) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 8% forests and woodland: 23% other: 69% (1993 est.) |
Languages | English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu | English |
Legal system | based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | British common law and local statutes |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly (68 seats, 65 elected by popular vote, 1 elected Speaker of the National Assembly, and 2 nonvoting members appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPP/C 34, PNC 27, GAP and WPA 2, ROAR 1, TUF 1 |
unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three appointed members and 15 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 65.5 years
male: 62.86 years female: 68.28 years (2005 est.) |
total population:
79.03 years male: 76.24 years female: 81.43 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98.8% male: 99.1% female: 98.5% (2003 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
Location | Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela | Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras |
Map references | South America | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,475 GRT/8,758 DWT
by type: cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1 registered in other countries: 3 (2005) |
total:
106 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,656,452 GRT/2,643,036 DWT ships by type: bulk 21, cargo 5, chemical tanker 27, container 4, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 13, refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Cyprus 2, Denmark 2, Finland 1, Greece 11, Norway 3, UK 3, US 3 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Guyana Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Corps, Guyana People's Militia | Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $6.5 million (2003) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.9% (2004) | - |
National holiday | Republic Day, 23 February (1970) | Constitution Day, first Monday in July |
Nationality | noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Guyanese |
noun:
Caymanian(s) adjective: Caymanian |
Natural hazards | flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons | hurricanes (July to November) |
Natural resources | bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish | fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism |
Net migration rate | -7.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 12.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US |
Political parties and leaders | Alliance for Guyana or AFG (includes Guyana Labor Party or GLP and Working People's Alliance or WPA) [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]; Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Guyana Labor Party or GLP [leader NA]; People's National Congress or PNC [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]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [Rupert ROOPNARAINE] | there are no formal political parties but the following loose groupings act as political organizations; National Team; Democratic Alliance; Team Cayman |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC; Guyana Council of Indian Organizations or GCIO; Trades Union Congress or TUC
note: the GCIO and the CLAC are small and active but not well organized |
NA |
Population | 765,283
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.) |
35,527 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.26% (2005 est.) | 2.12% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Georgetown | Cayman Brac, George Town |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 36,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 187 km
standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.) |
0 km |
Religions | Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5% | United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of God, other Protestant |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
at birth:
0.86 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | 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) |
general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 80,400 (2002) | 19,000 (1995) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 87,300 (2002) | 2,534 (1995) |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997) | NA |
Terrain | mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south | low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs |
Total fertility rate | 2.05 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 2.04 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 9.1% (understated) (2000) | 4.1% (1997) |
Waterways | 1,077 km
note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2004) |
none |