Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Western Sahara (2008) - Guyana (2008)

Compare Western Sahara (2008) z Guyana (2008)

 Western Sahara (2008)Guyana (2008)
 Western SaharaGuyana
Administrative divisions none (under de facto control of Morocco) 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
Age structure 0-14 years: 45.4% (male 88,176/female 85,421)


15-64 years: 52.3% (male 98,345/female 101,895)


65 years and over: 2.3% (male 3,705/female 5,075) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 26.1% (male 102,111/female 98,325)


15-64 years: 68.6% (male 266,288/female 261,620)


65 years and over: 5.3% (male 17,308/female 23,443) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish sugarcane, rice, shrimp, fish, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products
Airports 9 (2007) 93 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2007)
total: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


under 914 m: 6 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 6


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
total: 84


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 14


under 914 m: 69 (2007)
Area total: 266,000 sq km


land: 266,000 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 214,970 sq km


land: 196,850 sq km


water: 18,120 sq km
Area - comparative about the size of Colorado slightly smaller than Idaho
Background Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. In April 2007, Morocco presented an autonomy plan for the territory to the UN, which the U.S. considers serious and credible. The Polisario also presented a plan to the UN in 2007. Since August 2007, representatives from the Government of Morocco and the Polisario Front have met three times to negotiate the status of Western Sahara, with a fourth round of negotiations planned for March 2008. 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, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006.
Birth rate NA 39.95 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 18.09 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA
revenues: $419.4 million


expenditures: $527.4 million (2007 est.)
Capital none


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Georgetown


geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 10 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January)
Coastline 1,110 km 459 km
Constitution - 6 October 1980
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Western Sahara


former: Spanish Sahara
conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana


conventional short form: Guyana


former: British Guiana
Death rate NA 8.28 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $NA $1.2 billion (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US none 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
Diplomatic representation in the US none 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
Disputes - international Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; several states have extended diplomatic relations to the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria, while others recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; most of the approximately 102,000 Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria 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
Economic aid - recipient $NA $136.8 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC) $253 million (1997) (2005)
Economy - overview Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in 2006 the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara. 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 41% 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.
Electricity - consumption 79.05 million kWh (2005) 750.7 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 85 million kWh (2005) 807.3 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m


highest point: unnamed location 463 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m
Environment - current issues sparse water and lack of arable land water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
Environment - international agreements party to: none of the selected agreements


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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 Arab, Berber East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and mixed 7%
Exchange rates Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.2827 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003) Guyanese dollars per US dollar - 201.89 (2007), 200.28 (2006), 200.79 (2005), 198.31 (2004), 193.88 (2003)
Executive branch none 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%
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities phosphates 62% sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber
Exports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) 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)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
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
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: 40%
agriculture: 35.2%


industry: 19%


services: 45.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% 4.5% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 30 N, 13 00 W 5 00 N, 59 00 W
Geography - note the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas 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
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 1.3%


highest 10%: 33.8% (1999)
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
Imports 1,698 bbl/day (2004) 10,070 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
Imports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) Trinidad and Tobago 23%, US 21.3%, China 9.7%, Cuba 6.3%, UK 4.5% (2006)
Independence - 26 May 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 2% (2007 est.)
Industries phosphate mining, handicrafts bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining
Infant mortality rate total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total: 31.35 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 34.93 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 27.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% 10.4% (2007 est.)
International organization participation none ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, CSN, 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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land NA 1,500 sq km (2003)
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
Labor force 12,000 418,000 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 50%


industry and services: 50%
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
Land boundaries total: 2,046 km


border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
total: 2,949 km


border countries: Brazil 1,606 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Land use arable land: 0.02%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.98% (2005)
arable land: 2.23%


permanent crops: 0.14%


other: 97.63% (2005)
Languages Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Urdu
Legal system - based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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
Life expectancy at birth total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total population: 66.17 years


male: 63.52 years


female: 68.95 years (2007 est.)
Literacy NA definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school


total population: 98.8%


male: 99.1%


female: 98.5% (2003 est.)
Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela
Map references Africa South America
Maritime claims contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin
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)
Military branches - Guyana Defense Force: Army (includes Coast Guard, Air Corps) (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1.8% (2006)
National holiday - Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Nationality noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)


adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian
noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)


adjective: Guyanese
Natural hazards hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
Natural resources phosphates, iron ore bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Net migration rate - -7.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
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 none Amerindian People's Association; Guyana Citizens Initiative; Guyana Bar Association; Guyana Human Rights Association; Guyana Public Service Union or GPSU; Private Sector Commission; Trades Union Congress
Population 382,617


note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migration; fertility and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries (July 2007 est.)
769,095


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 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate NA 0.234% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)
Religions Muslim Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%
Sex ratio NA at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.018 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.738 male(s)/female


total population: 1.006 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: sparse and limited system


domestic: NA


international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
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)
Telephones - main lines in use about 2,000 (1999 est.) 110,100 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 0 (1999) 281,400 (2005)
Television broadcast stations NA 3 (1 public station; 2 private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)
Terrain mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Total fertility rate NA 2.04 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 9.1% (understated) (2000)
Waterways - Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2006)
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.