Guyana (pronounced or ), officially the Co-operative
Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern
mainland of South America.
It is, however, often considered part of the
Caribbean region because of its strong cultural,
historical, and political ties with other
Anglo-Caribbean countries and the Caribbean
Community (CARICOM).
Guyana is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to
the north, Brazil to the south and southwest,
Suriname to the east and Venezuela to the
west.
With 215,000 square kilometres (83,000 sq
mi), Guyana is the third-smallest sovereign
state on mainland South America after Uruguay
and Suriname.
The region known as "the Guianas" consists
of the large shield landmass north of the
Amazon River and east of the Orinoco River
known as the "land of many waters".
Originally inhabited by many indigenous groups,
Guyana was settled by the Dutch before coming
under British control in the late 18th century.
It was governed as British Guiana, with a
mostly plantation-style economy until the
1950s.
It gained independence in 1966, and officially
became a republic within the Commonwealth
of Nations in 1970.
The legacy of British rule is reflected in
the country's political administration and
diverse population, which includes Indian,
African, Amerindian, and multiracial groups.
Guyana is the only South American nation in
which English is the official language.
The majority of the population, however, speak
Guyanese Creole, an English-based creole language,
as a first language.
Guyana is part of the Anglophone Caribbean.
CARICOM, of which Guyana is a member, is headquartered
in Guyana's capital and largest city, Georgetown.
In 2008, the country joined the Union of South
American Nations as a founding member.
== Etymology ==
The 
name "Guyana" derives from Guiana, the original
name for the region that formerly included
Guyana (British Guiana), Suriname (Dutch Guiana),
French Guiana, and parts of Colombia, Venezuela
and Brazil.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary,
"Guyana" comes from an indigenous Amerindian
language and means "land of many waters".
== History ==
There are nine indigenous tribes residing
in Guyana: the Wai Wai, Macushi, Patamona,
Lokono, Kalina, Wapishana, Pemon, Akawaio
and Warao.
Historically the Lokono and Kalina tribes
dominated Guyana.
Although Christopher Columbus was the first
European to sight Guyana during his third
voyage (in 1498), and Sir Walter Raleigh wrote
an account in 1596, the Dutch were the first
Europeans to establish colonies: Essequibo
(1616), Berbice (1627), and Demerara (1752).
After the British assumed control in 1796,
the Dutch formally ceded the area in 1814.
In 1831 the three separate colonies became
a single British colony known as British Guiana.
Since its independence in 1824 Venezuela has
claimed the area of land to the west of the
Essequibo River.
Simón Bolívar wrote to the British government
warning against the Berbice and Demerara settlers
settling on land which the Venezuelans, as
assumed heirs of Spanish claims on the area
dating to the sixteenth century, claimed was
theirs.
In 1899 an international tribunal ruled the
land belonged to Great Britain.
The British territorial claim stemmed from
Dutch involvement and colonization of the
area also dating to the sixteenth century,
which was ceded to the British.
Guyana achieved independence from the United
Kingdom on 26 May 1966 and became a republic
on 23 February 1970, remaining a member of
the Commonwealth.
The US State Department and the US Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA), along with the
British government, played a strong role in
influencing political control in Guyana during
this time.
The American government supported Forbes Burnham
during the early years of independence because
Cheddi Jagan was identified as a Marxist.
They provided secret financial support and
political campaign advice to Burnham's People's
National Congress, to the detriment of the
Jagan-led People's Progressive Party, which
was mostly supported by Guyanese of East Indian
background.
In 1978, Guyana received international notice
when 918 members of the American cult, Peoples
Temple, died in a mass murder/suicide drinking
cyanide-laced Flavor Aid.
However, most of the suicides were by Americans
and not Guyanese.
More than 300 children were killed; the people
were members of a group led by Jim Jones in
Jonestown, the settlement which they had created.
Jim Jones's bodyguards had earlier attacked
people taking off at a small remote airstrip
close to Jonestown, killing five people, including
Leo Ryan, a US congressman.
In May 2008, President Bharrat Jagdeo was
a signatory to the UNASUR Constitutive Treaty
of the Union of South American Nations.
Guyana has ratified the treaty.
== Geography ==
The territory controlled by Guyana lies between
latitudes 1° and 9°N, and longitudes 56°
and 62°W.
The country can be divided into five natural
regions; a narrow and fertile marshy plain
along the Atlantic coast (low coastal plain)
where most of the population lives; a white
sand belt more inland (hilly sand and clay
region), containing most of Guyana's mineral
deposits; the dense rain forests (Forested
Highland Region) in the southern part of the
country; the dryer savannah areas in the south-west;
and the smallest interior lowlands (interior
savannah) consisting mostly of mountains that
gradually rise to the Brazilian border.
Some of Guyana's highest mountains are Mount
Ayanganna (2,042 metres or 6,699 feet), Monte
Caburaí (1,465 metres or 4,806 feet) and
Mount Roraima (2,772 metres or 9,094 feet
– the highest mountain in Guyana) on the
Brazil-Guyana-Venezuela tripoint border, part
of the Pakaraima range.
Mount Roraima and Guyana's table-top mountains
(tepuis) are said to have been the inspiration
for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1912 novel The
Lost World.
There are also many volcanic escarpments and
waterfalls, including Kaieteur Falls which
is believed to be the largest water drop in
the world.
North of the Rupununi River lies the Rupununi
savannah, south of which lie the Kanuku Mountains.
The four longest rivers are the Essequibo
at 1,010 kilometres (628 mi) long, the Courentyne
River at 724 kilometres (450 mi), the Berbice
at 595 kilometres (370 mi), and the Demerara
at 346 kilometres (215 mi).
The Corentyne river forms the border with
Suriname.
At the mouth of the Essequibo are several
large islands, including the 145 km (90 mi)
wide Shell Beach lies along the northwest
coast, which is also a major breeding area
for sea turtles (mainly leatherbacks) and
other wildlife.
The local climate is tropical and generally
hot and humid, though moderated by northeast
trade winds along the coast.
There are two rainy seasons, the first from
May to mid-August, the second from mid-November
to mid-January.
Guyana has one of the largest unspoiled rainforests
in South America, some parts of which are
almost inaccessible by humans.
The rich natural history of Guyana was described
by early explorers Sir Walter Raleigh and
Charles Waterton and later by naturalists
Sir David Attenborough and Gerald Durrell.
In 2008, the BBC broadcast a three-part programme
called Lost Land of the Jaguar which highlighted
the huge diversity of wildlife, including
undiscovered species and rare species such
as the giant otter and harpy eagle.
In 2012, Guyana received a $45 million reward
from Norway for its rainforest protection
efforts.
This stems from a 2009 agreement between the
nations for a total of $250 million for protecting
and maintaining the natural habitat.
Thus far, the country has received $115 million
of the total grant.
=== Regions and Neighbourhood Councils ===
Guyana is divided into 10 regions:
The regions are divided into 27 neighbourhood
councils.
=== Boundary disputes ===
Guyana is in border disputes with both Suriname,
which claims the area east of the left bank
of the Corentyne River and the New River in
southwestern Suriname, and Venezuela which
claims the land west of the Essequibo River,
once the Dutch colony of Essequibo as part
of Venezuela's Guayana Essequiba.
The maritime component of the territorial
dispute with Suriname was arbitrated by the
United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea,
and a ruling was announced on 21 September
2007.
The ruling concerning the Caribbean Sea north
of both nations found both parties violated
treaty obligations and declined to order any
compensation to either party.When the British
surveyed British Guiana in 1840, they included
the entire Cuyuni River basin within the colony.
Venezuela did not agree with this as it claimed
all lands west of the Essequibo River.
In 1898, at Venezuela's request, an international
arbitration tribunal was convened, and in
1899 the tribunal issued an award giving about
94% of the disputed territory to British Guiana.
The arbitration was concluded, settled and
accepted into International law by both Venezuela
and the U.K. Venezuela brought up again the
settled claim, during the 1960s cold war period,
and during Guyana's Independence period.
This issue is now governed by the Treaty of
Geneva of 1966, which was signed by the Governments
of Guyana, Great Britain and Venezuela, and
Venezuela continues to claim Guayana Esequiba.
Venezuela calls this region "Zona en Reclamación"
(Reclamation Zone) and Venezuelan maps of
the national territory routinely include it,
drawing it in with dashed lines.Specific small
disputed areas involving Guyana are Ankoko
Island with Venezuela; Corentyne River with
Suriname; and Tigri Area or New River Triangle
with Suriname.
In 1967 a Surinamese survey team was found
in the New River Triangle and was forcibly
removed.
In August 1969 a patrol of the Guyana Defence
Force found a survey camp and a partially
completed airstrip inside the triangle, and
documented evidence of the Surinamese intention
to occupy the entire disputed area.
After an exchange of gunfire, the Surinamese
were driven from the triangle.
=== Environment and biodiversity ===
The following habitats have been categorised
for Guyana: coastal, marine, littoral, estuarine
palustrine, mangrove, riverine, lacustrine,
swamp, savanna, white sand forest, brown sand
forest, montane, cloud forest, moist lowland
and dry evergreen scrub forests (NBAP, 1999).
About 14 areas of biological interest have
been identified as possible hotspots for a
National Protected Area System.
More than 80% of Guyana is still covered by
forests, those forest also contains the worlds
rarest orchids ranging from dry evergreen
and seasonal forests to montane and lowland
evergreen rain forests.
These forests are home to more than a thousand
species of trees.
Guyana's tropical climate, unique geology,
and relatively pristine ecosystems support
extensive areas of species-rich rain forests
and natural habitats with high levels of endemism.
Approximately eight thousand species of plants
occur in Guyana, half of which are found nowhere
else.
Guyana has one of the highest levels of biodiversity
in the world.
With 1,168 vertebrate species and 814 bird
species, it boasts one of the richest mammalian
fauna assemblages of any comparably sized
area in the world.
The Guiana Shield region is little known and
extremely rich biologically.
Unlike other areas of South America, over
70% of the natural habitat remains pristine.
The rich natural history of British Guiana
was described by early explorers Sir Walter
Raleigh and Charles Waterton and later by
naturalists Sir David Attenborough and Gerald
Durrell.
In February 2004, the Government of Guyana
issued a title to more than 1 million acres
(4,000 km2) of land in the Konashen Indigenous
District declaring this land as the Konashen
Community-Owned Conservation Area (COCA),
to be managed by the Wai Wai.
In doing so Guyana created the world's largest
Community-Owned Conservation Area.This important
event followed a request made by the Wai Wai
community to the government of Guyana and
Conservation International Guyana (CIG) for
assistance in developing a sustainable plan
for their lands in Konashen.
The three parties signed a Memorandum of Cooperation
which outlines a plan for sustainable use
of the Konashen COCA's biological resources,
identifies threats to the area's biodiversity,
and helps develop projects to increase awareness
of the COCA as well as generate the income
necessary to maintain its protected status.
The Konashen Indigenous District of Southern
Guyana houses the headwaters of the Essequibo
River, Guyana's principal water source, and
drains the Kassikaityu, Kamoa, Sipu and Chodikar
rivers.
Southern Guyana is host to some of the most
pristine expanses of evergreen forests in
the northern part of South America.
Most of the forests found here are tall, evergreen
hill-land and lower montane forests, with
large expanses of flooded forest along major
rivers.
Thanks to the very low human population density
of the area, most of these forests are still
intact.
The Smithsonian Institution has identified
nearly 2,700 species of plants from this region,
representing 239 distinct families, and there
are certainly additional species still to
be recorded.
The diversity of plants supports diverse animal
life, recently documented by a biological
survey organised by Conservation International.
The reportedly clean, unpolluted waters of
the Essequibo watershed support a remarkable
diversity of fish and aquatic invertebrates,
and are home to giant otters, capybaras, and
several species of caimans.
On land, large mammals, such as jaguars, tapirs,
bush dogs, giant anteaters, and saki monkeys
are still common.
Over 400 species of birds have been reported
from the region, and the reptile and amphibian
faunas are similarly rich.
The Konashen COCA forests are also home to
countless species of insects, arachnids, and
other invertebrates, many of which are still
undiscovered and unnamed.
The Konashen COCA is relatively unique in
that it contains a high level of biological
diversity and richness that remains in nearly
pristine condition; such places have become
rare on earth.
This fact has given rise to various non-exploitative,
environmentally sustainable industries such
as ecotourism, successfully capitalising on
the biological wealth of the Konashen COCA
with comparatively little enduring impact.
=== World Heritage sites ===
Guyana signed the Convention Concerning the
Protection of the World Cultural and Natural
Heritage treaty in 1977, the first Caribbean
country to do so.
In the mid-1990s, Guyana began the process
of selecting sites for World Heritage nomination,
and three sites were considered: Kaieteur
National Park, Shell Beach and Historic Georgetown.
By 1997, work on Kaieteur National Park was
started, and in 1998 work on Historic Georgetown
was begun.
To date, however, Guyana has not made a successful
nomination.Guyana submitted the Kaieteur National
Park, including the Kaieteur Falls, to UNESCO
as its first World Heritage Site nomination.
The proposed area and surrounds have some
of Guyana's most diversified life zones with
one of the highest levels of endemic species
found in South America.
The Kaieteur Falls are the most spectacular
feature of the park, falling a distance of
226 metres.
The nomination of Kaieteur National Park as
a World Heritage Site was not successful,
primarily because the area was seen by the
evaluators as being too small, especially
when compared with the Central Suriname Nature
Reserve that had just been nominated as a
World Heritage Site (2000).
The dossier was thus returned to Guyana for
revision.Guyana continues in its bid for a
World Heritage Site.
Work continues, after a period of hiatus,
on the nomination dossier for Historic Georgetown.
A tentative list indicating an intention to
nominate Historic Georgetown was submitted
to UNESCO in December 2004.
In April 2005, two Dutch experts in conservation
spent two weeks in Georgetown supervising
architecture staff and students of the University
of Guyana in a historic building survey of
the selected area.
This is part of the data collection for the
nomination dossier.Meanwhile, as a result
of the Kaieteur National Park being considered
too small, there is a proposal to prepare
a nomination for a Cluster Site that will
include the Kaieteur National Park, the Iwokrama
Forest and the Kanuku Mountains.
The Iwokrama rain forest, an area rich in
biological diversity, has been described by
Major General (Retired) Joseph Singh as "a
flagship project for conservation."
The Kanuku Mountains area is in a pristine
state and is home to more than four hundred
species of birds and other animals.Guyana
holds two of the World Wildlife Fund's Global
200 eco-regions, the Guianan and Guiana Highlands
moist forests.
It is also home to several endemic species
including the greenheart tree.
=== Landmarks ===
St George's Anglican Cathedral
A historic Anglican Cathedral made of wood.
Demerara Harbour Bridge
The world's fourth-longest floating bridge.
Berbice Bridge
The world's sixth-longest floating bridge.
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Building
Houses the headquarters of the largest and
most powerful economic union in the Caribbean.
Providence Stadium
Situated on Providence on the north bank of
the Demerara River and built in time for the
ICC World Cup 2007, it is the largest sports
stadium in the country.
It is also near the Providence Mall, forming
a major spot for leisure in Guyana.
Guyana International Conference Centre
Presented as a gift from the People's Republic
of China to the Government of Guyana.
It is the only one of its kind in the country.
Stabroek Market
A large cast-iron colonial structure that
looked like a statue was located next to the
Demerara River.
City Hall
A beautiful wooden structure also from the
colonial era.
Takutu River Bridge
A bridge across the Takutu River, connecting
Lethem in Guyana to Bonfim in Brazil.Takutu
River Bridge
Umana Yana
An Amerindian benab, that is a national monument
built in 1972, for a meeting of the Foreign
Ministers of the Non-Aligned nations (It was
rebuilt in 2016).
== Economy ==
The main economic activities in Guyana are
agriculture (production of rice and Demerara
sugar), bauxite and gold mining, timber, shrimp
fishing and minerals.
In 2015 the first of several significant deep
water oil discoveries were found, which will
have a significant effect on the economy.
Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled
labour and a deficient infrastructure.
In 2008, the economy witnessed a 3% increase
in growth amid the global economic crisis,
grew an impressive 5.4% in 2011 and 3.7% in
2012.
Until recently, the government was juggling
a sizeable external debt against the urgent
need for expanded public investment.
Low prices for key mining and agricultural
commodities combined with troubles in the
bauxite and sugar industries, had threatened
the government's tenuous fiscal position and
dimmed prospects for the future.
However, the Guyanese economy has rebounded
slightly and exhibited moderate economic growth
since 1999, thanks to an expansion in the
agricultural and mining sectors, a more favourable
atmosphere for business initiatives, a more
realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation,
and the continued support of international
organisations.
The sugar industry, which accounts for 28%
of all export earnings, is largely run by
the company GuySuCo, which employs more people
than any other industry.
Many industries have a large foreign investment.
For example, the mineral industry is heavily
invested in by the American company Reynolds
Metals and the British-Australian Rio Tinto's
Rio Tinto Alcan subsidiary; the Korean/Malaysian
Barama Company has a large stake in the logging
industry.
The production of balatá (natural latex)
was once big business in Guyana.
Most of the balata bleeding in Guyana took
place in the foothills of the Kanuku Mountains
in the Rupununi.
Early exploitation also took place in the
North West District, but most of the trees
in the area were destroyed by illicit bleeding
methods that involved cutting down the trees
rather than making incisions in them.
Uses of balatá included the making of cricket
balls, the temporary filling of troublesome
tooth cavities, and the crafting of figurines
and other decorative items (particularly by
the Macushi people of the Kanuku mountains).
Major private sector organisations include
the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and the
Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry
(GCCI);The government initiated a major overhaul
of the tax code in early 2007.
The Value Added Tax (VAT) was brought into
effect, replacing six different taxes.
Prior to the implementation of the VAT, it
had been relatively easy to evade sales tax,
and many businesses were in violation of tax
code.
Many businesses were very opposed to VAT introduction
because of the extra paperwork required; however,
the Government has remained firm on the VAT.
By replacing several taxes with one flat tax
rate, it will also be easier for government
auditors to spot embezzlement.
This was prevalent under the former PPP/C
government who authorised the VAT to be equal
to 50% of the value of the good.
While the adjustment to VAT has been difficult,
it may improve day-to-day life because of
the significant additional funds the government
will have available for public spending.
President Bharrat Jagdeo had made debt relief
a foremost priority of his administration.
He was quite successful, getting US$800 million
of debt written off by the International Monetary
Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB), in addition to millions
more from other industrial nations.
Jagdeo was lauded by IDB President Moreno
for his strong leadership and negotiating
skills in pursuing debt relief for Guyana
and several other regional countries.
=== Summary ===
== International and regional relations ==
=== The Organisation of American States (OAS)
===
Guyana entered the Inter–American system
in 1991.
=== Indigenous Leaders Summits of America
(ILSA) ===
With Guyana having many groups of indigenous
persons and given the geographical location
of the country, the contributions of the Guyanese
to the OAS respecting indigenous people may
be significant.The position of the OAS respecting
indigenous persons developed over the years.
"The "OAS has supported and participated in
the organisation of Indigenous Leaders Summits
of Americas (ILSA)"The Draft American Declaration
of the Rights of the Indigenous Persons appears
to be a working document
=== Agreements which affect financial relationships
===
==== 
The Double Taxation Relief (CARICOM) Treaty
1994 ====
At a CARICOM Meeting, representatives of Trinidad
and Tobago and Guyana respectively signed
The Double Taxation Relief (CARICOM) Treaty
1994 on 19 August 1994.This treaty covered
taxes, residence, tax jurisdictions, capital
gains, business profits, interest, dividends,
royalties and other areas.
==== FATCA ====
On 30 June 2014, Guyana signed a Model 1 agreement
with the United States of America in relation
to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
(FATCA).
This Model 1 agreement includes a reference
to the Tax Information Exchange Agreement
(Clause 3) which was signed on 22 July 1992
in Georgetown, Guyana intending to exchange
Tax information on an automatic basis.
== Demographics ==
The chief majority (about 90%) of Guyana's
773,000 population lives along a narrow coastal
strip which ranges from a width of 16 to 64
kilometres (10 to 40 mi) inland and which
makes up approximately only 10% of the nation's
total land area.The present population of
Guyana is racially and ethnically heterogeneous,
with ethnic groups originating from India,
Africa, Europe, and China, as well as indigenous
or aboriginal peoples.
Despite their diverse ethnic backgrounds,
these groups share two common languages: English
and Creole.
The largest ethnic group is the Indo-Guyanese
(also known as East Indians), the descendants
of indentured laborers from India, who make
up 43.5% of the population, according to the
2002 census.
They are followed by the Afro-Guyanese, the
descendants of slaves from Africa, who constitute
30.2%.
Guyanese of mixed heritage make up 16.7%,
while the indigenous peoples (known locally
as Amerindians) make up 9.1%.
The indigenous groups include the Arawaks,
the Wai Wai, the Caribs, the Akawaio, the
Arecuna, the Patamona, the Wapixana, the Macushi
and the Warao.
The two largest groups, the Indo-Guyanese
and Afro-Guyanese, have experienced some racial
tension.The majority of Indo-Guyanese are
descended from indentured laborers who came
from Bhojpuri-speaking areas of North India.
A sizable minority are South Indian, largely
of Tamil and Telugu descent.The distribution
pattern in the 2002 census was similar to
those of the 1980 and 1991 censuses, but the
share of the two main groups has declined.
Indo-Guyanese made up 51.9% of the total population
in 1980, but by 1991 this had fallen to 48.6%,
and then to 43.5% in the 2002 census.
Those of African descent increased slightly
from 30.8% to 32.3% during the first period
(1980 and 1991) before falling to 30.2% in
the 2002 census.
With small growth in the overall population,
the decline in the shares of the two larger
groups has resulted in the relative increase
of shares of the multiracial and Amerindian
groups.
The Amerindian population rose by 22,097 people
between 1991 and 2002.
This represents an increase of 47.3% or annual
growth of 3.5%.
Similarly, the multiracial population increased
by 37,788 persons, representing a 43.0% increase
or annual growth rate of 3.2% from the base
period of 1991 census.
The number of Portuguese people (4.3% of the
population in 1891) has been declining constantly
over the decades.
=== Largest cities ===
=== 
Languages ===
English is the official language of Guyana
and is used for education, government, media,
and services.
The vast majority of the population speaks
Guyanese Creole, an English-based creole with
slight African and East Indian influence,
as their native tongue.
In addition, Cariban languages (Akawaio, Wai-Wai,
and Macushi) are spoken by a small minority,
while Indic languages are retained for cultural
and religious reasons.
=== Religion ===
According to a 2002 nationwide census on religious
affiliation, 57.4% of the population was Christian,
28.4% was Hindu, 7.2% was Muslim, 1.9% adhered
to other religions, while 2.3% of the population
did not profess any.Among Christians, most
are Protestants (34.8%) or other Christian
(20.8%), but there is also a minority of Roman
Catholics (7.1%).
Among Hindu, Vaishnavism is the major tradition.
Among Muslims, Sunni are in the majority,
while there are also Shia and Ahmadiyya minorities.
Among other religions, the Rastafari movement,
Buddhism, and the Baha'i Faith are the most
popular.
== Government and politics ==
The politics of Guyana takes place in a framework
of a presidential representative democratic
republic, in which the President of Guyana
is both head of state and head of government,
and of a multi-party system.
Executive power is exercised by the President
and the Government.
Legislative power is vested in both the President
and the National Assembly of Guyana.
Historically, politics are a source of tension
in the country, and violent riots have often
broken out during elections.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the political
landscape was dominated by the People's National
Congress.
In 1992, the first "free and fair" elections
were overseen by former United States President
Jimmy Carter, and the People's Progressive
Party led the country until 2015.
The two parties are principally organised
along ethnic lines and as a result often clash
on issues related to the allocation of resources.
In the General Elections held on 28 November
2011, the People's Progressive Party (PPP)
retained a majority, and their presidential
candidate Donald Ramotar was elected as President.
On 11 May 2015, early general elections were
held, resulting in a victory for A Partnership
for National Unity-Alliance for Change (APNU-AFC)
Coalition party.
APNU-AFC, a multi-ethnic, multi-party coalition,
won a majority, 33 of 65 seats in the National
Assembly.
On 16 May 2015, retired army general David
A. Granger became the eighth President of
Guyana.
=== Public procurement ===
Public procurement in Guyana is overseen by
the Public Procurement Commission, appointed
under the Public Procurement Commission Act
2003.
Due to lengthy delay in identifying and agreeing
commission members, the commission was not
appointed until 2016.
=== Military ===
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is the military
service of Guyana.
=== Human rights ===
Homosexual acts are illegal in Guyana.
== Infrastructure and telecommunications ==
=== 
Transport ===
There are a total of 187 kilometres (116 mi)
of railway, all dedicated to ore transport.
There are 7,969 kilometres (4,952 mi) of highway,
of which 591 kilometres (367 mi) are paved.
Navigable waterways extend 1,077 kilometres
(669 mi), including the Berbice, Demerara,
and Essequibo rivers.
There are ports at Georgetown, Port Kaituma,
and New Amsterdam.
There are two international airports (Cheddi
Jagan International Airport, Timehri and Eugene
F. Correira International Airport (formerly
Ogle Airport); along with about 90 airstrips,
nine of which have paved runways.
Guyana, Suriname and the Falkland Islands
are the only three regions in South America
which drive on the left.
=== Electricity ===
The electricity sector in Guyana is dominated
by Guyana Power and Light (GPL), the state-owned
vertically integrated utility.
Although the country has a large potential
for hydroelectric and bagasse-fueled power
generation, most of its 226 MW of installed
capacity correspond to inefficient diesel-engine
driven generators.Several initiatives are
in place to improve energy access in the hinterland.
== Health ==
Life expectancy at birth is estimated to be
67.39 years for both males and females in
2012.
The PAHO/ WHO Global Health Report 2014 (using
statistics of 2012) ranked the country as
having the highest suicide rate in the world,
with a mortality rate of 44.2 per 100,000
inhabitants.
According to 2011 estimates from the WHO,
HIV prevalence is 1.2% of the teen/adult population
(ages 15–49).
Although Guyana's health profile falls short
in comparison with many of its Caribbean neighbours,
there has been remarkable progress since 1988,
and the Ministry of Health is working to upgrade
conditions, procedures, and facilities.
== Education ==
Guyana's educational system is considered
to be among the best in the Caribbean, but
it deteriorated significantly in the 1980s,
because of inadequate funding and emigration
of many highly educated citizens.
Although the education system recovered in
the 1990s, it still does not produce the quality
of educated students necessary for Guyana
to modernise its workforce.
The country lacks a critical mass of expertise
in many of the disciplines and activities
on which it depends.
At 88.5%, Guyana's literacy rate is the worst
in South America.The educational system does
not sufficiently focus on the training of
Guyanese in science and technology, technical
and vocational subjects, business management,
or computer sciences.
The Guyanese education system is modelled
on the former British education system.
Students are expected to take the NGSA (National
Grade Six Assessment) for entrance into high
school in grade 7.
They take the CXC at the end of high school.
Schools have introduced the CAPE exams which
all other Caribbean countries have introduced.
The A-level system, inherited from the British
era, has all but disappeared and is offered
only in a few schools.
Further adding to the problems of the educational
system, many of the better-educated professional
teachers have emigrated to other countries
over the past two decades, mainly because
of low pay, lack of opportunities and crime.
== Culture ==
Guyana's culture is very similar to that of
the English-speaking Caribbean, and has historically
been tied to the English-speaking Caribbean
as part of the British Empire when it became
a possession in the nineteenth century.
Guyana is a founding member of the Caricom
(Caribbean Community) economic bloc and also
the home of the Bloc's Headquarters, the CARICOM
Secretariat.
Guyana's geographical location, its sparsely
populated rain-forest regions, and its substantial
Amerindian population differentiate it from
English-speaking Caribbean countries.
Its blend of Indo-Guyanese (East Indian) and
Afro-Guyanese (African) cultures gives it
similarities to Trinidad and distinguishes
it from other parts of the Americas.
Guyana shares similar interests with the islands
in the West Indies, such as food, festive
events, music, sports, etc.
Guyana plays international cricket as a part
of the West Indies cricket team, and the Guyana
team plays first-class cricket against other
nations of the Caribbean.
In March and April 2007 Guyana co-hosted the
Cricket World Cup 2007.
In addition to its CARICOM membership, Guyana
is a member of CONCACAF, the international
football federation for North and Central
America and the Caribbean.
Events include Mashramani (Mash), Phagwah
(Holi), and Deepavali (Diwali).
== Wildlife ==
Among the birds found on Guyana is cock of
the rock (Rupicola rupicola).
== Sports ==
The major sports in Guyana are cricket (Guyana
is part of the West Indies as defined for
international cricket purposes), basketball,
football (soccer), and volleyball.
Minor sports include softball cricket (beach
cricket), field hockey, netball, rounders,
lawn tennis, table tennis, boxing, squash,
rugby, horse racing and a few others.
Guyana played host to international cricket
matches as part of the 2007 Cricket World
Cup (CWC 2007).
The new 15,000-seat Providence Stadium, also
referred to as Guyana National Stadium, was
built in time for the World Cup and was ready
for the beginning of play on 28 March.
At the first international game of CWC 2007
at the stadium, Lasith Malinga of the Sri
Lankan team took four wickets in four consecutive
deliveries.For international football purposes,
Guyana is part of CONCACAF.
The highest league in their club system is
the GFF Elite League.
Guyana also has five courses for horse racing.
== See also ==
Index of Guyana-related articles
Outline of Guyana
== Notes ==
== 
References ==
== 
Further reading ==
== 
External links ==
Office of the President, Republic of Guyana
(official website).
Petroleum exploration in Guyana
Parliament of the Cooperative Republic of
Guyana (official website).
Wikimedia Atlas of Guyana
Outsourcing in Guyana from news publication,
Nearshore Americas.
Geographic data related to Guyana at OpenStreetMap
"Guyana".
The World Factbook.
Central Intelligence Agency.
Country Profile from the BBC News.
Guyana from the Encyclopædia Britannica.
Guyana at UCB Libraries GovPubs.
(in Spanish) Derechos Venezolanos de Soberania
en el Esequibo, Ministerio del Poder Popular
para Relaciones Exteriores.
Venezuelan rights of sovereignty in the Essequibo,
Ministry of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs
(translated by Google).
Guyana at Curlie
The State of the World's Midwifery, Guyana
Country Profile.
Key Development Forecasts for Guyana from
International Futures.
