NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Co-operative Republic of Guyana
former: British Guiana
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela |
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Geographic coordinates:
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5 00 N, 59 00 W |
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Map references:
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South America |
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Area:
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total: 214,970 sq km
water: 18,120 sq km land: 196,850 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Idaho |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 2,462 km
border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km |
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Coastline:
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459 km |
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Maritime claims:
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continental shelf: 200 NM or to the outer edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January) |
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Terrain:
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mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m |
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Natural resources:
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bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish |
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Land use:
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arable land: 2.44%
permanent crops: 0.08% other: 97.48% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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1,500 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons |
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Environment - current issues:
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water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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 |
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Geography - note:
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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 |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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698,209
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 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 27.6% (male 98,198; female 94,397)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 237,324; female 233,400) 65 years and over: 5% (male 15,510; female 19,380) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.23% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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17.89 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.33 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-6.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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38.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 62.59 years
female: 65.34 years (2002 est.) male: 59.96 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.09 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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3.01% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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15,000 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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900 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Guyanese |
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Ethnic groups:
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East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and mixed 7% |
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Religions:
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Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5% |
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Languages:
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English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98.1% male: 98.6% female: 97.5% (1995 est.) |