Co-operative Republic of Guyana, republic on the northern coast of South America, formerly British Guiana, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean, on the east by Suriname, on the south by Brazil, and on the west by Brazil and Venezuela. The country achieved independence on May 26, 1966. Guyana has an area of 214,969 sq km (83,000 sq mi); its coastline is about 435 km (about 270 mi) long.


Land and Resources - Guyana can be divided into three major geographical regions. A belt of alluvial soil, varying in width from about 8 to 65 km (about 5 to 40 mi) and mostly below sea level, extends along the coast and is protected by a system of dams and dikes. To the south lies the dense forest area that makes up about four-fifths of the country. The forests extend into an interior highland region with a maximum elevation, atop Mount Roraima, of 2772 m (9094 ft). Some of the rivers form spectacular waterfalls, notably Kaieteur Falls (226 m/741 ft high), on the Potaro River, one of the highest single-drop waterfalls in the world. Beyond the forest lies a region of savanna. Several important rivers-the Essequibo, Demerara, Courantyne (Corantijn), and Berbice-cross the country in a southern to northern direction. The rivers are navigable by oceangoing freighters only to about 100 to 160 km (about 60 to 100 mi) from the sea; farther inland, navigation is not possible because of rapids and falls.


Climate - Guyana has a tropical climate, with little seasonal temperature change. The annual rainfall (about 1525 to 2030 mm/about 60 to 80 in) on the coast occurs mainly from April to August and November to January. The savanna region receives some 1525 mm (some 60 in) of rain annually, mainly from April to September.


Natural Resources - The important mineral deposits of Guyana include bauxite, manganese, gold, diamonds, and kaolin. Some petroleum is located offshore. The plants and trees of Guyana are noted for their great size; the giant water lily is common. The dense forests contain excellent woods, such as greenheart and mora, for use in the lumber industry. The animal life is varied and includes deer, anteater, and two species of monkey. Among the birds are manakins, sugarbirds, and cotingas; the diversity of brilliantly colored birds and insects is considerable.


Population - Slightly more than 50 percent of the total population of Guyana is made up of East Indians, whose ancestors came here from the Indian subcontinent. About 31 percent of the people are of black African descent, and some 10 percent are of mixed background. Approximately 5 percent are Native Americans. In addition, small numbers of Europeans and Chinese live in Guyana. About 90 percent of the largely rural population lives along the coast. About 42 percent of the people are Christians, most being Anglicans or Roman Catholics. The remainder are mainly Hindus (34 percent) or Muslims (9 percent). The official language is English; Hindi, Urdu, and Native American languages also are used.


Population Characteristics - The population of Guyana (1991 estimate) was 758,619, giving the country an overall population density of about 3.5 people per sq km (about 9 per sq mi). Georgetown, the capital and principal port, had a population (1985 estimate) of 200,000. Smaller population centers include the port of New Amsterdam (25,000) and the mining community of Linden (formerly called Mackenzie-Wismar-Christianburg; 35,000).


Education - In the late 1980s about 134,700 pupils were enrolled in 425 elementary schools in Guyana. Some 100 secondary, technical, and teacher-training institutions had a total of approximately 73,400 students. The country's principal institution of higher education, the University of Guyana (1963), in Georgetown, was attended by about 2300 students.

Culture - Until its independence, Guyana was tied culturally more closely to Suriname and French Guiana than to the rest of South America. Guyana was settled by East Indians, who still speak Urdu, Hindi, and Tamil dialects; black Africans; and a few Europeans, mostly from Great Britain. These various ethnic strains have remained fairly distinct, and today each group has its own style of life and culture, although the ties of nationhood tend to bind them together.


Economy - Immediately before independence in 1966, Guyana was in the early stages of developing its resources. The development continued under an economic plan drawn up by British, United States, and Canadian experts. Manufacturing, which was on a small scale in the late 1960s, was expanded in the 1970s, but in the late 1980s the economy of Guyana was dominated by agriculture and service industries. The annual national budget in the late 1980s included revenue of about $164 million and expenditure of about $284 million.


Agriculture - Agriculture accounts for about one-fourth of the gross domestic product and employs about one-third of the labor force. Sugar and its by-products and rice account for most of the agricultural exports; 3 million metric tons of sugarcane and 225,000 metric tons of rice were produced annually in the late 1980s. Coconuts, coffee, cacao, citrus fruit, corn, manioc, and other tropical fruit and vegetables are grown primarily for home consumption. Large areas of rough pasture exist in the interior savannas. Substantial numbers of cattle, hogs, sheep, and chickens are raised.

Cultivation is confined almost entirely to the narrow coastal strip of rich, alluvial soil. Agricultural expansion requires heavy expenditures for protection against flooding and for drainage and irrigation, because part of the strip is below the high-tide mark of the sea and rivers and because of the heavy seasonal rainfall. The government of Guyana is making efforts to increase the amount of land available for cultivation through reclamation projects.


Forestry and Fishing - In the late 1980s about 125,000 cu m (about 4.4 million cu ft) of wood were harvested annually from Guyana's extensive forests. Almost all of the harvest was made up of hardwoods, used mainly in construction and furniture making and as fuel. Fishing is concentrated along the Atlantic coast. The annual catch in the late 1980s was about 41,600 metric tons. Shrimp are a valuable product.


Mining - Guyana is a major producer of bauxite; about 1.3 million metric tons were mined annually in the late 1980s. Manganese, gold, and diamonds are also produced.


Manufacturing and Energy - Manufacturing in Guyana is limited to processing bauxite and to production of foodstuffs, beverages, construction materials, clothing, soap, and cigarettes.

In the late 1980s Guyana had an installed electricity-generating capacity of about 168,000 kilowatts, and annual production was some 385 million kilowatt-hours, nearly all generated in thermal facilities. The country has a great potential for producing hydroelectricity.


Currency and Foreign Trade - The Guyana dollar consists of 100 cents (29.96 Guyana dollars equal U.S.$1; 1990). The Bank of Guyana, established in 1965, is the central bank.

The chief exports of Guyana are sugar, bauxite, alumna, rum, rice, and timber. The principal imports are petroleum products, machinery, foodstuffs, tobacco, cotton fabrics, and footwear. In the late 1980s, annual imports cost about $254 million, and exports earned some $240 million.


Transportation - Guyana has about 8890 km (about 5520 mi) of roads, most of which are near the coast. The country is served by about 110 km (about 70 mi) of railroad track. Guyana's main seaports are Georgetown and New Amsterdam. The rivers provide an important means of access to the interior. The national airline is Guyana Airways, which provides domestic and international service. The main airport, Timehri International, is near Georgetown.


Communications - Guyana had some 30,300 telephones in the late 1980s; radio-telephone links are frequently the only efficient means of communication with the interior. The government operates broadcasting services. In the mid-1980s approximately 307,500 radios and 40,000 television sets were in use.


Labor - In the mid-1980s Guyana's wage-labor force was made up of about 268,000 people. More than 90,000 workers were members of labor unions.


Government - Guyana is governed under a constitution adopted in 1980.The head of state and chief executive of Guyana is a president, elected to a five-year term of office by the National Assembly. The president appoints a cabinet, headed by a prime minister.


Legislature - Legislative power in Guyana is vested in the unicameral National Assembly, which is made up of 12 no elected members and 53 members elected to five-year terms under a system of proportional representation.


Judiciary - The law of Guyana is based mostly on English common and statute law. The highest tribunal of the country is the Supreme Court of Judicature, which is divided into a court of appeal and a high court.