01
Physical geography
Mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south.
Local timeGeorgetown ·
South America · Card 009
Guyana
Guyana is a country in South America. Its capital is Georgetown.
Find Guyana
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers. Guyana administers the Essequibo region, which Venezuela claims. The dispute is before the International Court of Justice; this map does not settle it.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers. Guyana administers the Essequibo region, which Venezuela claims. The dispute is before the International Court of Justice; this map does not settle it.
At a glance
- Capital
- Georgetown
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- Guyanese dollar (GYD)
- Population
- 835,9862025 · World Bank
- Area
- 214,969 km²82,999.96 square miles
- Independence
- 1966from the UK
Guyana in context
South America and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Georgetown; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
English is official. Guyanese Creole is widely spoken, alongside Indigenous and other community languages.
03
Location
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela.
Flag
Green with a red isosceles triangle (based on the left side) on top of a long yellow arrowhead shape that extends to the opposite side of the flag; a narrow black border sits between the red and yellow, and a narrow white border between the yellow and green
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · International Court of Justice · Guyana v. Venezuela
History & independence
Indigenous peoples inhabited the region before Dutch and British colonisation. Plantation slavery was followed by indentured labour, including migration from India, shaping Guyana’s diverse population. Guyana gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1966 through a constitutional transition and became a republic in 1970. Offshore oil discoveries in 2015 and production beginning in 2019 transformed the economy. A longstanding territorial dispute with Venezuela concerns the Essequibo region.
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Guyana becomes independent from the United Kingdom
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Guyana becomes a republic
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A major offshore oil discovery is announced
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Offshore oil production begins
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · International Court of Justice · Guyana v. Venezuela
Economy
Main activities
Offshore oil production has become a major driver of output and exports. Gold, rice, sugar, bauxite and forestry remain important activities, alongside services and construction. Rapid increases in oil output can cause large GDP changes without an equivalent change in every household’s income. Managing public revenue and the effects of rapid expansion is an important policy challenge.
Industry and production
Offshore petroleum, gold and bauxite mining, rice, sugar, forestry and construction.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · International Court of Justice · Guyana v. Venezuela
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Rapid expansion of oil production produces unusually large GDP changes. GDP measures output and is not a measure of typical household income.
Population, 1970–2025
Thousands of people836.02025 · thousands of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Thousands of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 702,705 | 702.705 |
| 1980 | 774,367 | 774.367 |
| 1990 | 749,894 | 749.894 |
| 2000 | 764,832 | 764.832 |
| 2010 | 749,256 | 749.256 |
| 2020 | 807,481 | 807.481 |
| 2025 | 835,986 | 835.986 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars32.82025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1,782,661,480 | 1.783 |
| 1991 | 1,890,652,727 | 1.891 |
| 1992 | 2,037,327,406 | 2.037 |
| 1993 | 2,203,881,071 | 2.204 |
| 1994 | 2,391,925,530 | 2.392 |
| 1995 | 2,512,273,985 | 2.512 |
| 1996 | 2,712,138,382 | 2.712 |
| 1997 | 2,879,766,586 | 2.880 |
| 1998 | 2,831,412,296 | 2.831 |
| 1999 | 2,915,226,398 | 2.915 |
| 2000 | 2,875,468,427 | 2.875 |
| 2001 | 2,941,015,353 | 2.941 |
| 2002 | 2,974,326,086 | 2.974 |
| 2003 | 2,955,521,641 | 2.956 |
| 2004 | 3,001,726,851 | 3.002 |
| 2005 | 2,943,164,433 | 2.943 |
| 2006 | 3,094,137,271 | 3.094 |
| 2007 | 3,316,643,991 | 3.317 |
| 2008 | 3,374,858,506 | 3.375 |
| 2009 | 3,496,741,807 | 3.497 |
| 2010 | 3,641,452,425 | 3.641 |
| 2011 | 3,830,671,453 | 3.831 |
| 2012 | 4,032,790,344 | 4.033 |
| 2013 | 4,180,123,674 | 4.180 |
| 2014 | 4,250,621,228 | 4.251 |
| 2015 | 4,279,840,194 | 4.280 |
| 2016 | 4,442,793,237 | 4.443 |
| 2017 | 4,608,708,975 | 4.609 |
| 2018 | 4,813,377,726 | 4.813 |
| 2019 | 5,071,030,136 | 5.071 |
| 2020 | 7,275,896,377 | 7.276 |
| 2021 | 8,735,441,013 | 8.735 |
| 2022 | 14,268,000,638 | 14.268 |
| 2023 | 19,089,873,040 | 19.090 |
| 2024 | 27,454,916,554 | 27.455 |
| 2025 | 32,763,601,884 | 32.764 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.776High human developmentRank 89 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
19900.494
20000.567
20100.647
20200.722
20230.776
70.2 yearsLife expectancy at birth
8.7 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
A republic with an executive President and a single-chamber National Assembly. Voters elect party lists for the Assembly; the presidential candidate of the list receiving the most votes becomes President. A Prime Minister and Cabinet assist in government.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · International Court of Justice · Guyana v. Venezuela
Knowledge check
Three questions about Guyana.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
What is the capital of Guyana?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · International Court of Justice · Guyana v. Venezuela
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.