From: Jack.Crawford@f620.n260.z1.fidonet.org (Jack Crawford)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.soc-studies
Subject: Guyana                2/2
Date: Wed, 04 Nov 92 21:56:00 PDT
Organization: FidoNet node 1:260/620 - W-FL Teacher Resour, Stanley NY

>>> Continued from previous message
Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES,
LORCS, NAM, OAS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Dr. Cedric Hilburn GRANT; Chancery
at 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-6900;
there is a Guyanese Consulate General in New York;

US--Ambassador George JONES; Embassy at 31 Main Street, Georgetown;
telephone  592  (02) 54900 through 54909

Flag: 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

ECONOMY Overview: After growing on average at less than 1% a year in
1986-87, GDP dropped by 3% a year in 1988-89. The decline resulted from
bad weather, labor trouble in the canefields, and flooding and equipment
problems in the bauxite industry. Consumer prices rose about 35% in 1988
and by over 100% in 1989, and the current account deficit widened
substantially as sugar and bauxite exports fell. Moreover, electric power
is in short supply and constitutes a major barrier to future gains in
national output. The government, in association with international
financial agencies, seeks to reduce its payment arrears and to raise new
funds. The government's stabilization program--aimed at establishing
realistic exchange rates, reasonable price stability, and a resumption of
growth--requires considerable public administrative abilities and
continued patience by consumers during a long incubation period.

GDP: $287.2 million, per capita $380; real growth rate - 3.3% (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 105% (1989)

Unemployment rate: 12-15% (1991 est.)

Budget: revenues $65 million; expenditures $129 million, including capital
expenditures of $6 million (1989 est.)

Exports: $234 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.);

commodities--bauxite, sugar, gold, rice, shrimp, molasses, timber, rum;

partners--UK 31%, US 23%, CARICOM 7%, Canada 6% (1988)

Imports: $319 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.);

commodities--manufactures machinery, food, petroleum;

partners--US 33%, CARICOM 10%, UK 9%, Canada 2% (1989)

External debt: $1.7 billion, including arrears (December 1990 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate - 10.0% (1989 est.); accounts for more
than 20% of GDP

Electricity: 250,000 kW capacity; 635 million kWh produced, 830 kWh per
capita (1990)

Industries: bauxite mining, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp),
textiles, gold mining

Agriculture: most important sector, accounting for 27% of GDP and about
50% of exports; sugar and rice are key crops; development potential exists
for fishing and forestry; not self-sufficient in food, especially wheat,
vegetable oils, and animal products

Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $116 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88),
$244 million; Communist countries 1970-89, $242 million

Currency: Guyanese dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100
cents

Exchange rates: Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1--45.00 (since June 1990),
39.533 (1990), 27.159 (1989), 10.000 (1988), 9.756 (1987), 4.272 (1986),
4.252 (1985)

Fiscal year: calendar year

COMMUNICATIONS Railroads: 187 km total, all single track 0.914-meter gauge

Highways: 7,665 km total; 550 km paved, 5,000 km gravel, 1,525 km earth,
590 km unimproved

Inland waterways: 6,000 km total of navigable waterways; Berbice,
Demerara, and Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150
km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively

Ports: Georgetown

Civil air: 5 major transport aircraft

Airports: 58 total, 55 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with
runways over 3,659 m; none with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 14 with runways
1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications: fair system with radio relay network; over 27,000
telephones; tropospheric scatter link to Trinidad; stations--4 AM, 3 FM,
no TV, 1 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

DEFENSE FORCES Branches: Guyana Defense Force (GDF; includes Coast Guard
and Air Corps), Guyana Police Force (GPF), Guyana People's Militia (GPM),
Guyana National Service (GNS)

Manpower availability: males 15-49, 195,142; 148,477 fit for military
service

Defense expenditures: $5.5 million, 6% of GDP (1989 est.)

 * SLMR 2.1a * 

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