Guyana ( British Guiana) is a country in Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela. Guyana geographic coordinates 5 00 N, 59 00 W; area 196,850 sq km; area comparative slightly smaller than Idaho; land boundaries Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km; coastline 459 km; maritime claims exclusive economic zone:<; climate tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-; terrain mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south; elevation extremes Mount Roraima 2,835 m; natural resources bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish; land use 97.41% (2001); irrigated land 1,500 sq km (1998 est.); natural hazards flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons; environment current issues water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation; environment international agreements none of the selected agreements; 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;

introduction

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. government type republic within the Commonwealth; capital Georgetown; 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;

people

Guyana population 765,283 estimates for this country explicitly; age structure 5.1% (male 16,801/female 22,196) (2005 est.); median age 27.4 years (2005 est.); population growth rate 0.26% (2005 est.); birth rate 18.45 births/1,000 population (2005 est.); death rate 8.32 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.); net migration rate -7.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.); sex ratio 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.); infant mortality rate 36.94 deaths/1,000 live births; life expectancy at birth 68.28 years (2005 est.); total fertility rate 2.05 children born/woman (2005 est.); hiv adult rate 2.5% (2003 est.); hiv people with aids 11,000 (2003 est.); hiv deaths 1,100 (2003 est.); nationality Guyanese; ethnic groups East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and mixed 7%; religions Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%; languages English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu; literacy 98.5% (2003 est.);

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