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Guyana vs. Venezuela

Introduction

GuyanaVenezuela
BackgroundOriginally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to settlement of urban areas by former slaves and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. The resulting ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been 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. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was elected in 2001 and again in 2006. Early elections held in May 2015 resulted in the first change in governing party and the replacement of President Donald RAMOTAR by current President David GRANGER. After a December 2018 no-confidence vote against the GRANGER government, national elections will be held before the scheduled spring 2020 date.Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New Granada, which became Colombia). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959, although the re-election of current disputed President Nicolas MADURO in an election boycotted by most opposition parties was widely viewed as fraudulent. Under Hugo CHAVEZ, president from 1999 to 2013, and his hand-picked successor, MADURO, the executive branch has exercised increasingly authoritarian control over other branches of government. National Assembly President Juan GUAIDO is currently recognized by more than 50 countries - including the United States - as the interim president while MADURO retains control of all other institutions within the country and has the support of security forces. Venezuela is currently authoritarian with only one democratic institution - the National Assembly - and strong restrictions on freedoms of expression and the press. The ruling party's economic policies expanded the state's role in the economy through expropriations of major enterprises, strict currency exchange and price controls that discourage private sector investment and production, and overdependence on the petroleum industry for revenues, among others. However, Caracas in 2019 relaxed some economic controls to mitigate some impacts of the economic crisis driven by a drop in oil production. Current concerns include human rights abuses, rampant violent crime, high inflation, and widespread shortages of basic consumer goods, medicine, and medical supplies.

Geography

GuyanaVenezuela
LocationNorthern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and VenezuelaNorthern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
Geographic coordinates5 00 N, 59 00 W8 00 N, 66 00 W
Map referencesSouth AmericaSouth America
Areatotal: 214,969 sq km

land: 196,849 sq km

water: 18,120 sq km
total: 912,050 sq km

land: 882,050 sq km

water: 30,000 sq km
Area - comparativeslightly smaller than Idaho; almost twice the size of Tennesseealmost six times the size of Georgia; slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundariestotal: 2,933 km

border countries (3): Brazil 1308 km, Suriname 836 km, Venezuela 789 km
total: 5,267 km

border countries (3): Brazil 2137 km, Colombia 2341 km, Guyana 789 km
Coastline459 km2,800 km
Maritime claimsterritorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 15 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climatetropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January)tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Terrainmostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in southAndes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
Elevation extremeshighest point: Laberintos del Norte on Mount Roraima 2,775 m

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 207 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar 4,978 m

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 450 m
Natural resourcesbauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fishpetroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds
Land useagricultural land: 8.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 2.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 6.2% (2018 est.)

forest: 77.4% (2018 est.)

other: 14.2% (2018 est.)
agricultural land: 24.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 3.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 20.6% (2018 est.)

forest: 52.1% (2018 est.)

other: 23.4% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land1,430 sq km (2012)10,550 sq km (2012)
Natural hazardsflash flood threat during rainy seasonssubject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts
Environment - current issueswater pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestationsewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - notethe 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; contains some of the largest unspoiled rainforests on the continent

note 1: the country lies on major sea and air routes linking North and South America

note 2: Venezuela has some of the most unique geology in the world; tepuis are massive table-top mountains of the western Guiana Highlands that tend to be isolated and thus support unique endemic plant and animal species; their sheer cliffsides account for some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world including Angel Falls, the world's highest (979 m) that drops off Auyan Tepui

Total renewable water resources271 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)1.325 trillion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Population distributionpopulation is heavily concentrated in the northeast in and around Georgetown, with noteable concentrations along the Berbice River to the east; the remainder of the country is sparsely populatedmost of the population is concentrated in the northern and western highlands along an eastern spur at the northern end of the Andes, an area that includes the capital of Caracas

Demographics

GuyanaVenezuela
Population787,971 (July 2021 est.)

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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
29,069,153 (July 2021 est.)
Age structure0-14 years: 23.91% (male 91,317/female 88,025)

15-24 years: 21.23% (male 81,294/female 77,987)

25-54 years: 39.48% (male 154,825/female 141,385)

55-64 years: 8.37% (male 29,385/female 33,386)

65 years and over: 7.01% (male 21,325/female 31,275) (2020 est.)
0-14 years: 25.66% (male 3,759,280/female 3,591,897)

15-24 years: 16.14% (male 2,348,073/female 2,275,912)

25-54 years: 41.26% (male 5,869,736/female 5,949,082)

55-64 years: 8.76% (male 1,203,430/female 1,305,285)

65 years and over: 8.18% (male 1,069,262/female 1,272,646) (2020 est.)
Median agetotal: 27.5 years

male: 27.2 years

female: 27.9 years (2020 est.)
total: 30 years

male: 29.4 years

female: 30.7 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate0.19% (2021 est.)2.46% (2021 est.)
Birth rate16.64 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)17.55 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate6.87 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)7.13 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate-7.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)14.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sex ratioat birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality ratetotal: 22.68 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 25.66 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
total: 22.23 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 24.79 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birthtotal population: 71.59 years

male: 69.74 years

female: 73.53 years (2021 est.)
total population: 72.22 years

male: 68.9 years

female: 75.7 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate2.07 children born/woman (2021 est.)2.24 children born/woman (2021 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate1.3% (2020 est.)0.5% (2020 est.)
Nationalitynoun: Guyanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Guyanese
noun: Venezuelan(s)

adjective: Venezuelan
Ethnic groupsEast Indian 39.8%, African descent 29.3%, mixed 19.9%, Amerindian 10.5%, other 0.5% (includes Portuguese, Chinese, White) (2012 est.)unspecified Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, Indigenous
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS9,000 (2020 est.)100,000 (2020 est.)
ReligionsProtestant 34.8% (Pentecostal 22.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Anglican 5.2%, Methodist 1.4%), Hindu 24.8%, Roman Catholic 7.1%, Muslim 6.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 0.5%, other Christian 20.8%, other 0.9%, none 3.1% (2012 est.)nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
HIV/AIDS - deaths<200 (2020 est.)NA
LanguagesEnglish (official), Guyanese Creole, Amerindian languages (including Caribbean and Arawak languages), Indian languages (including Caribbean Hindustani, a dialect of Hindi), Chinese (2014 est.)Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Literacydefinition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 88.5%

male: 87.2%

female: 89.8% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.1%

male: 97%

female: 97.2% (2016)
Major infectious diseasesdegree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

Note: as of 1 March 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Venezuela; the country is experiencing outbreaks of infectious diseases, and adequate health care is currently not available in most of the country
Education expenditures5.5% of GDP (2018)NA
Urbanizationurban population: 26.9% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
urban population: 88.3% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 1.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Drinking water sourceimproved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 95.6% of population

total: 96.7% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 38.7% of population

total: 26.5% of population (2017 est.)
improved: total: 95.7% of population

unimproved: total: 4.3% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility accessimproved: urban: 97.8% of population

rural: 95.4% of population

total: 96% of population

unimproved: urban: 2.2% of population

rural: 4.6% of population

total: 4% of population (2017 est.)
improved: total: 93.9% of population

unimproved: total: 6.4% of population (2017 est.)
Major cities - population110,000 GEORGETOWN (capital) (2018)2.946 million CARACAS (capital), 2.296 million Maracaibo, 1.935 million Valencia, 1.227 million Barquisimeto, 1.216 million Maracay (2021)
Maternal mortality rate667 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)125 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight8.2% (2014)2.9% (2009)
Health expenditures5.9% (2018)3.6% (2018)
Hospital bed density1.7 beds/1,000 population (2016)0.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate20.2% (2016)25.6% (2016)
Demographic profile

Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America and shares cultural and historical bonds with the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana's two largest ethnic groups are the Afro-Guyanese (descendants of African slaves) and the Indo-Guyanese (descendants of Indian indentured laborers), which together comprise about three quarters of Guyana's population. Tensions periodically have boiled over between the two groups, which back ethnically based political parties and vote along ethnic lines. Poverty reduction has stagnated since the late 1990s. About one-third of the Guyanese population lives below the poverty line; indigenous people are disproportionately affected. Although Guyana's literacy rate is reported to be among the highest in the Western Hemisphere, the level of functional literacy is considerably lower, which has been attributed to poor education quality, teacher training, and infrastructure.

Guyana's emigration rate is among the highest in the world - more than 55% of its citizens reside abroad - and it is one of the largest recipients of remittances relative to GDP among Latin American and Caribbean counties. Although remittances are a vital source of income for most citizens, the pervasive emigration of skilled workers deprives Guyana of professionals in healthcare and other key sectors. More than 80% of Guyanese nationals with tertiary level educations have emigrated. Brain drain and the concentration of limited medical resources in Georgetown hamper Guyana's ability to meet the health needs of its predominantly rural population. Guyana has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the region and continues to rely on international support for its HIV treatment and prevention programs.

Social investment in Venezuela during the CHAVEZ administration reduced poverty from nearly 50% in 1999 to about 27% in 2011, increased school enrollment, substantially decreased infant and child mortality, and improved access to potable water and sanitation through social investment. "Missions" dedicated to education, nutrition, healthcare, and sanitation were funded through petroleum revenues. The sustainability of this progress remains questionable, however, as the continuation of these social programs depends on the prosperity of Venezuela's oil industry. In the long-term, education and health care spending may increase economic growth and reduce income inequality, but rising costs and the staffing of new health care jobs with foreigners are slowing development.

While CHAVEZ was in power, more than one million predominantly middle- and upper-class Venezuelans are estimated to have emigrated. The brain drain is attributed to a repressive political system, lack of economic opportunities, steep inflation, a high crime rate, and corruption. Thousands of oil engineers emigrated to Canada, Colombia, and the United States following CHAVEZ's firing of over 20,000 employees of the state-owned petroleum company during a 2002-03 oil strike. Additionally, thousands of Venezuelans of European descent have taken up residence in their ancestral homelands. Nevertheless, Venezuela has attracted hundreds of thousands of immigrants from South America and southern Europe because of its lenient migration policy and the availability of education and health care. Venezuela also has been a fairly accommodating host to Colombian refugees, numbering about 170,000 as of year-end 2016. However, since 2014, falling oil prices have driven a major economic crisis that has pushed Venezuelans from all walks of life to migrate or to seek asylum abroad to escape severe shortages of food, water, and medicine; soaring inflation; unemployment; and violence. As of March 2020, an estimated 5 million Venezuelans were refugees or migrants worldwide, with almost 80% taking refuge in Latin America and the Caribbean (notably Colombia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, and Brazil, as well as the Dominican Republic, Aruba, and Curacao). Asylum applications increased significantly in the US and Brazil in 2016 and 2017. Several receiving countries are making efforts to increase immigration restrictions and to deport illegal Venezuelan migrants - Ecuador and Peru in August 2018 began requiring valid passports for entry, which are difficult to obtain for Venezuelans. Nevertheless, Venezuelans continue to migrate to avoid economic collapse at home.

Contraceptive prevalence rate33.9% (2014)75% (2010)
Dependency ratiostotal dependency ratio: 53.2

youth dependency ratio: 42.5

elderly dependency ratio: 10.7

potential support ratio: 9.3 (2020 est.)
total dependency ratio: 54.4

youth dependency ratio: 42.1

elderly dependency ratio: 12.3

potential support ratio: 8.1 (2020 est.)

Government

GuyanaVenezuela
Country nameconventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana

conventional short form: Guyana

former: British Guiana

etymology: the name is derived from Guiana, the original name for the region that included British Guiana, Dutch Guiana, and French Guiana; ultimately the word is derived from an indigenous Amerindian language and means "Land of Many Waters" (referring to the area's multitude of rivers and streams)
conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

conventional short form: Venezuela

local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela

local short form: Venezuela

former: State of Venezuela, Republic of Venezuela, United States of Venezuela

etymology: native stilt-houses built on Lake Maracaibo reminded early explorers Alonso de OJEDA and Amerigo VESPUCCI in 1499 of buildings in Venice and so they named the region "Venezuola," which in Italian means "Little Venice"
Government typeparliamentary republicfederal presidential republic
Capitalname: Georgetown

geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 09 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: when the British took possession of the town from the Dutch in 1812, they renamed it Georgetown in honor of King George III (1738-1820)
name: Caracas

geographic coordinates: 10 29 N, 66 52 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: named for the native Caracas tribe that originally settled in the city's valley site near the Caribbean coast
Administrative divisions10 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 Essequibo23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 capital district* (distrito capital), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales (Federal Dependencies)**, Distrito Capital (Capital District)*, Falcon, Guarico, La Guaira, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Yaracuy, Zulia

note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands
Independence26 May 1966 (from the UK)5 July 1811 (from Spain)
National holidayRepublic Day, 23 February (1970)Independence Day, 5 July (1811)
Constitutionhistory: several previous; latest promulgated 6 October 1980

amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, such as national sovereignty, government structure and powers, and constitutional amendment procedures, requires approval by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum, and assent of the president; other amendments only require Assembly approval; amended many times, last in 2016
history: many previous; latest adopted 15 December 1999, effective 30 December 1999

amendments: proposed through agreement by at least 39% of the National Assembly membership, by the president of the republic in session with the cabinet of ministers, or by petition of at least 15% of registered voters; passage requires simple majority vote by the Assembly and simple majority approval in a referendum; amended 2009; note - in 2016, President MADURO issued a decree to hold an election to form a constituent assembly to change the constitution; the election in July 2017 approved the formation of a 545-member constituent assembly and elected its delegates, empowering them to change the constitution and dismiss government institutions and officials
Legal systemcommon law system, based on the English model, with some Roman-Dutch civil law influencecivil law system based on the Spanish civil code
Suffrage18 years of age; universal18 years of age; universal
Executive branchchief of state: President Mohammed Irfaan ALI (since 2 August 2020); First Vice President Mark PHILLIPS (since 2 August 2020); Vice President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 2 August 2020); Prime Minister Mark PHILLIPS (since 2 August 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Mohammed Irfaan ALI (since 2 August 2020); First Vice President Mark PHILLIPS (since 2 August 2020); Vice President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 2 August 2020)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly

elections/appointments: the predesignated candidate of the winning party in the last National Assembly election becomes president for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 2 March 2020 (next to be held in 2025); prime minister appointed by the president

election results:
2020: Mohammed Irfaan ALI (PPP/C) designated president by the majority party in the National Assembly

2015: David GRANGER (APNU-AFC) designated president by the majority party in the National Assembly
chief of state: Notification Statement: the United States recognizes Juan GUAIDO as the Interim President of Venezuela

President Nicolas MADURO Moros (since 19 April 2013); Executive Vice President Delcy RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 14 June 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Nicolas MADURO Moros (since 19 April 2013); Executive Vice President Delcy RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 14 June 2018)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits); election last held on 20 May 2018 (next election scheduled for 2024)

election results: 2018: Nicolas MADURO Moros reelected president; percent of vote - Nicolas MADURO Moros (PSUV) 68%, Henri FALCON (AP) 21%, Javier BERTUCCI 11%; note - the election was marked by serious shortcomings and electoral fraud; voter turnout was approximately 46% due largely to an opposition boycott of the election

2013: Nicolas MADURO Moros elected president; percent of vote - Nicolas MADURO Moros (PSUV) 50.6%, Henrique CAPRILES Radonski (PJ) 49.1%, other 0.3%
Legislative branchdescription: unicameral National Assembly (65 seats; 40 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency and 25 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - all by closed-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections: last held on 2 March 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

election results: percent of vote by party - PPP/C 50.69%, APNU-AFC 47.34%, LJP 0.58%, ANUG 0.5%, TNM 0.05%, other 0.84%; seats by party - PPP/C 33, APNU-AFC 31, LJP-ANUG-TNM 1; composition - men 43, women 22, percent of women 33.8%; note - the initial results were declared invalid and a partial recount was conducted from 6 May to 8 June 2020, in which PPP/C was declared the winner
description: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (277 seats; 3 seats reserved for indigenous peoples of Venezuela; members serve 5-year terms); note - in 2020, the National Electoral Council increased the number of seats in the National Assembly from 167 to 277 for the 6 December 2020 election

elections: last held on 6 December 2020 (next to be held in December 2025)

election results: percent of vote by party - GPP (pro-government) 69.32%, Democratic Alliance (opposition coalition) 17.68%, other 13%; seats by party - GPP 253, Democratic Alliance 18, indigenous peoples 3, other 3
Judicial branchhighest courts: Supreme Court of Judicature (consists of the Court of Appeal with a chief justice and 3 justices, and the High Court with a chief justice and 10 justices organized into 3- or 5-judge panels); note - in 2009, Guyana acceded to the Caribbean Court of Justice as the final court of appeal in civil and criminal cases, replacing that of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and High Court chief justices appointed by the president; other judges of both courts appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a body appointed by the president; judges appointed for life with retirement at age 65

subordinate courts: Land Court; magistrates' courts
highest courts: Supreme Tribunal of Justice (consists of 32 judges organized into constitutional, political-administrative, electoral, civil appeals, criminal appeals, and social divisions)

judge selection and term of office: judges proposed by the Committee of Judicial Postulation (an independent body of organizations dealing with legal issues and of the organs of citizen power) and appointed by the National Assembly; judges serve nonrenewable 12-year terms; note - in July 2017, the National Assembly named 33 judges to the court to replace a series of judges, it argued, had been illegally appointed in late 2015 by the outgoing, socialist-party-led Assembly; the Government of President MADURO and the Socialist Party-appointed judges refused to recognize these appointments, however, and many of the new judges have since been imprisoned or forced into exile

subordinate courts: Superior or Appeals Courts (Tribunales Superiores); District Tribunals (Tribunales de Distrito); Courts of First Instance (Tribunales de Primera Instancia); Parish Courts (Tribunales de Parroquia); Justices of the Peace (Justicia de Paz) Network
Political parties and leadersA New and United Guyana or ANUG [Ralph RAMKARRAN]
A Partnership for National Unity or APNU [David A. GRANGER]
Alliance for Change or AFC [Raphael TROTMAN]
Justice for All Party [C.N. SHARMA]
Liberty and Justice Party or LJP [Lenox SHUMAN]
National Independent Party or NIP [Saphier Husain SUBEDAR]
People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO]
The New Movement or TNM [joint leadership of several medical doctors]
The United Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]
United Republican Party or URP [Vishnu BANDHU]

A New Era or UNT [Manuel ROSALES]
Brave People's Alliance or ABP [Richard BLANCO]
Cambiemos Movimiento Ciudadano or CMC [Timoteo ZAMBRANO]
Christian Democrats or COPEI [Miguel SALAZAR]
Clear Accounts or CC [Enzo SCARENO]
Coalition of parties loyal to Nicolas MADURO -- Great Patriotic Pole or GPP [Nicolas MADURO]
Coalition of opposition parties -- Democratic Alliance (Alianza Democratica) (comprised of AD, EL CAMBIO, COPEI, CMC, and AP)
Come Venezuela (Vente Venezuela) or VV [Maria MACHADO]
Communist Party of Venezuela or PCV [Oscar FIGUERA]
Democratic Action or AD [Jose Bernabe GUTIERREZ Parra]
EL CAMBIO (The Change) [Javier Alejandro BERTUCCI Carrero]
Justice First or PJ [Julio BORGES]
Popular Will or VP [Leopoldo LOPEZ]
Progressive Wave or AP [Henri FALCON]
The Radical Cause or La Causa R [Andres VELAZQUEZ]
United Socialist Party of Venezuela or PSUV [Nicolas MADURO]
Venezuelan Progressive Movement or MPV [Simon CALZADILLA]
Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique Fernando SALAS FEO]

International organization participationACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTOCaricom (observer), CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the USchief of mission: Ambassador Samuel Archibald HINDS (since 7 July 2021)

chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900

FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297

email address and website:
guyanaembassydc@verizon.net

http://www.guyanaembassyusa.org/

consulate(s) general: New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alfredo VECCHIO (since 8 April 2019)

chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214

FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820

email address and website:
despacho.embveus@mppre.gob.ve
Diplomatic representation from the USchief of mission: Ambassador Sarah-Ann LYNCH (since 13 March 2019)

embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown

mailing address: 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170

telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909

FAX: [592] 225-8497

email address and website:
acsgeorge@state.gov

https://gy.usembassy.gov/
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James "Jimmy" STORY (since July 2018); note - on 11 March 2019, the Department of State announced the temporary suspension of operations of the US Embassy in Caracas and the withdrawal of diplomatic personnel; all consular services, routine and emergency, are suspended

embassy: now operating from Bogota, Colombia
Venezuela Affairs Unit, Carrera 45 N. 24B-27, Bogota

previously - F St. and Suapure St.; Urb . Colinas de Valle Arriba; Caracas 1080

mailing address: 3140 Caracas Place, Washington DC  20521-3140

telephone: 1-888-407-4747

 


email address and website:
ACSBogota@state.gov

https://ve.usembassy.gov/

Flag descriptiongreen 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; green represents forest and foliage; yellow stands for mineral resources and a bright future; white symbolizes Guyana's rivers; red signifies zeal and the sacrifice of the people; black indicates perseverance; also referred to by its nickname The Golden Arrowheadthree equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of eight white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band; the flag retains the three equal horizontal bands and three main colors of the banner of Gran Colombia, the South American republic that broke up in 1830; yellow is interpreted as standing for the riches of the land, blue for the courage of its people, and red for the blood shed in attaining independence; the seven stars on the original flag represented the seven provinces in Venezuela that united in the war of independence; in 2006, then President Hugo CHAVEZ ordered an eighth star added to the star arc - a decision that sparked much controversy - to conform with the flag proclaimed by Simon Bolivar in 1827 and to represent the historic province of Guayana
National anthemname: Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains

lyrics/music: Archibald Leonard LUKERL/Robert Cyril Gladstone POTTER

note: adopted 1966
name: "Gloria al bravo pueblo" (Glory to the Brave People)

lyrics/music: Vicente SALIAS/Juan Jose LANDAETA

note: adopted 1881; lyrics written in 1810, the music some years later; both SALIAS and LANDAETA were executed in 1814 during Venezuela's struggle for independence
International law organization participationhas not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdictionhas not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
National symbol(s)Canje pheasant (hoatzin), jaguar, Victoria Regia water lily; national colors: red, yellow, green, black, whitetroupial (bird); national colors: yellow, blue, red
Citizenshipcitizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: na
citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years; reduced to five years in the case of applicants from Spain, Portugal, Italy, or a Latin American or Caribbean country

Economy

GuyanaVenezuela
Economy - overview

The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in recent years and is based largely on agriculture and extractive industries. The economy is heavily dependent upon the export of six commodities - sugar, gold, bauxite, shrimp, timber, and rice - which represent nearly 60% of the country's GDP and are highly susceptible to adverse weather conditions and fluctuations in commodity prices. Guyana closed or consolidated several sugar estates in 2017, reducing production of sugar to a forecasted 147,000 tons in 2018, less than half of 2017 production. Much of Guyana's growth in recent years has come from a surge in gold production. With a record-breaking 700,000 ounces of gold produced in 2016, Gold production in Guyana has offset the economic effects of declining sugar production. In January 2018, estimated 3.2 billion barrels of oil were found offshore and Guyana is scheduled to become a petroleum producer by March 2020.

Guyana's entrance into the Caricom Single Market and Economy in January 2006 broadened the country's export market, primarily in the raw materials sector. Guyana has experienced positive growth almost every year over the past decade. Inflation has been kept under control. Recent years have seen the government's stock of debt reduced significantly - with external debt now less than half of what it was in the early 1990s. Despite these improvements, the government is still juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. In March 2007, the Inter-American Development Bank, Guyana's principal donor, canceled Guyana's nearly $470 million debt, equivalent to 21% of GDP, which along with other Highly Indebted Poor Country debt forgiveness, brought the debt-to-GDP ratio down from 183% in 2006 to 52% in 2017. Guyana had become heavily indebted as a result of the inward-looking, state-led development model pursued in the 1970s and 1980s. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure.

Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which account for almost all export earnings and nearly half of the government's revenue, despite a continued decline in oil production in 2017. In the absence of official statistics, foreign experts estimate that GDP contracted 12% in 2017, inflation exceeded 2000%, people faced widespread shortages of consumer goods and medicine, and the central bank's international reserves dwindled. In late 2017, Venezuela also entered selective default on some of its sovereign and state oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., (PDVSA) bonds. Domestic production and industry continues to severely underperform and the Venezuelan Government continues to rely on imports to meet its basic food and consumer goods needs.

Falling oil prices since 2014 have aggravated Venezuela's economic crisis. Insufficient access to dollars, price controls, and rigid labor regulations have led some US and multinational firms to reduce or shut down their Venezuelan operations. Market uncertainty and PDVSA's poor cash flow have slowed investment in the petroleum sector, resulting in a decline in oil production.

Under President Nicolas MADURO, the Venezuelan Government's response to the economic crisis has been to increase state control over the economy and blame the private sector for shortages. MADURO has given authority for the production and distribution of basic goods to the military and to local socialist party member committees. The Venezuelan Government has maintained strict currency controls since 2003. The government has been unable to sustain its mechanisms for distributing dollars to the private sector, in part because it needed to withhold some foreign exchange reserves to make its foreign bond payments. As a result of price and currency controls, local industries have struggled to purchase production inputs necessary to maintain their operations or sell goods at a profit on the local market. Expansionary monetary policies and currency controls have created opportunities for arbitrage and corruption and fueled a rapid increase in black market activity.

GDP (purchasing power parity)$10.24 billion (2019 est.)

$9.72 billion (2018 est.)

$9.306 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
$269.068 billion (2018 est.)

$381.6 billion (2017 est.)

$334.751 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP - real growth rate2.1% (2017 est.)

3.4% (2016 est.)

3.1% (2015 est.)
-19.67% (2018 est.)

-14% (2017 est.)

-15.76% (2017 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)$13,082 (2019 est.)

$12,478 (2018 est.)

$12,005 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
$7,704 (2018 est.)

$12,500 (2017 est.)

$9,417 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP - composition by sectoragriculture: 15.4% (2017 est.)

industry: 15.3% (2017 est.)

services: 69.3% (2017 est.)
agriculture: 4.7% (2017 est.)

industry: 40.4% (2017 est.)

services: 54.9% (2017 est.)
Population below poverty line35% (2006 est.)33.1% (2015 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage sharelowest 10%: 1.3%

highest 10%: 33.8% (1999)
lowest 10%: 1.7%

highest 10%: 32.7% (2006)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)2% (2017 est.)

0.8% (2016 est.)
146,101.7% (2019 est.)

45,518.1% (2018 est.)

416.8% (2017 est.)
Labor force313,800 (2013 est.)14.21 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupationagriculture: NA

industry: NA

services: NA
agriculture: 7.3%

industry: 21.8%

services: 70.9% (4th quarter, 2011 est.)
Unemployment rate11.1% (2013)

11.3% (2012)
6.9% (2018 est.)

27.1% (2017 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index44.6 (2007)

43.2 (1999)
39 (2011)

49.5 (1998)
Budgetrevenues: 1.002 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 1.164 billion (2017 est.)
revenues: 92.8 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 189.7 billion (2017 est.)
Industriesbauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold miningagricultural products, livestock, raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, iron and steel products, crude oil and petroleum products
Industrial production growth rate-5% (2017 est.)-2% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - productsrice, sugar cane, coconuts, pumpkins, squash, gourds, milk, eggplants, green chillies/peppers, poultrysugar cane, maize, milk, rice, plantains, bananas, pineapples, potatoes, beef, poultry
Exports$1.439 billion (2017 est.)

$1.38 billion (2016 est.)
$83.401 billion (2018 est.)

$93.485 billion (2017 est.)
Exports - commoditiesships, gold, shipping containers, excavation machinery, aluminum ores, rice (2019)crude petroleum, refined petroleum, industrial alcohols, gold, iron (2019)
Exports - partnersTrinidad and Tobago 31%, Canada 11%, Portugal 11%, Ghana 8%, Norway 6%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)India 34%, China 28%, United States 12%, Spain 6% (2019)
Imports$1.626 billion (2017 est.)

$1.341 billion (2016 est.)
$18.432 billion (2018 est.)

$18.376 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - commoditiesships, refined petroleum, excavation machinery, shipping containers, aircraft (2019)refined petroleum, rice, corn, tires, soybean meal, wheat (2019)
Imports - partnersUnited States 26%, Trinidad and Tobago 16%, Singapore 18%, Liberia 11%, China 5%, Norway 5% (2019)China 28%, United States 22%, Brazil 8%, Spain 6%, Mexico 6%  (2019)
Debt - external$1.69 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.542 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$100.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$109.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange ratesGuyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar -

207 (2017 est.)

206.5 (2016 est.)

206.5 (2015 est.)

206.5 (2014 est.)

206.45 (2013 est.)
bolivars (VEB) per US dollar -

3,345 (2017 est.)

673.76 (2016 est.)

48.07 (2015 est.)

13.72 (2014 est.)

6.284 (2013 est.)
Fiscal yearcalendar yearcalendar year
Public debt52.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

50.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
38.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

31.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover central government debt, as well as the debt of state-owned oil company PDVSA; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include some debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; some debt instruments for the social funds are sold at public auctions
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold$565.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$581 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$9.661 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$11 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Current Account Balance-$237 million (2017 est.)

$13 million (2016 est.)
$4.277 billion (2017 est.)

-$3.87 billion (2016 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)$3.561 billion (2017 est.)$210.1 billion (2017 est.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scoresOverall score: 55.5 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 85.6 (2020)

Trading score: 58.3 (2020)

Enforcement score: 57.9 (2020)
Overall score: 30.2 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 25 (2020)

Trading score: 0 (2020)

Enforcement score: 46.9 (2020)
Taxes and other revenues28.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)44.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)-4.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)-46.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24total: 26.5%

male: 20.7%

female: 34.6% (2018 est.)
total: 12.1%

male: 10.5% NA

female: 14.9% NA (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end usehousehold consumption: 71.1% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 18.2% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 25.4% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 47.8% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -63% (2017 est.)
household consumption: 68.5% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 19.6% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 13.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 1.7% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 7% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -10.7% (2017 est.)
Gross national saving10.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

15% of GDP (2016 est.)

8.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
12.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

8.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

31.8% of GDP (2015 est.)

Energy

GuyanaVenezuela
Electricity - production1.01 billion kWh (2016 est.)109.3 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption790.1 million kWh (2016 est.)71.96 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports0 kWh (2016 est.)0 kWh (2015 est.)
Electricity - imports0 kWh (2016 est.)0 kWh (2016 est.)
Oil - production0 bbl/day (2018 est.)1.484 million bbl/day (2018 est.)
Oil - imports0 bbl/day (2015 est.)0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Oil - exports0 bbl/day (2015 est.)1.656 million bbl/day (2015 est.)
Oil - proved reserves0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)302.3 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)5.739 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - production0 cu m (2017 est.)27.07 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption0 cu m (2017 est.)24.21 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports0 cu m (2017 est.)0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports0 cu m (2017 est.)0 cu m (2017 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity428,000 kW (2016 est.)31 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels89% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)51% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)49% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources11% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production0 bbl/day (2015 est.)926,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption14,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)659,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports0 bbl/day (2015 est.)325,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports13,720 bbl/day (2015 est.)20,640 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Electricity accesselectrification - total population: 91.8% (2018)

electrification - urban areas: 96.9% (2018)

electrification - rural areas: 90% (2018)
electrification - total population: 99.6% (2019)

electrification - urban areas: 100% (2019)

electrification - rural areas: 99% (2019)

Telecommunications

GuyanaVenezuela
Telephones - main lines in usetotal subscriptions: 130,497

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17.52 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 5,351,312

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18.67 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellulartotal subscriptions: 617,998

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 82.97 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 13,476,287

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47.01 (2019 est.)
Internet country code.gy.ve
Internet userstotal: 276,498

percent of population: 37.33% (July 2018 est.)
total: 21,354,499

percent of population: 72% (July 2018 est.)
Telecommunication systemsgeneral assessment: revenues gained from newly tapped off-shore oil reserves may provide a boost of Guyana's infrastructure, including upgrade of aging telecom systems to LTE and fiber broadband; competition in mobile services but monopoly in fixed-line; submarine cable improved broadband availability but service is still slow and expensive; second cable will improve delivery and pricing; government promotes ICT for e-government, e-health, and tele-education, and connection to remote locations (2021) (2020)

domestic: fixed-line teledensity is about 18 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity about 83 per 100 persons (2019)

international: country code - 592; landing point for the SG-SCS submarine cable to Suriname, and the Caribbean; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
general assessment:

telecom industry struggling due to political upheaval in the country; poor quality of service in many areas of the country due to decrepit state of fixed-line network and operators' inability to pay for equipment from foreign vendors; operator suffering from stolen or damaged infrastructure; many consumers favor mobile service, and cancel their fixed-line services; popularity of social networks caused growth in mobile data traffic; LTE coverage to about half of the population; government launched National Fiber Optic backbone project in 2019; national satellite drifted off course and became non-operational; American company closed a telecom service due to government sanction and a Chilean company later acquired the service; Internet freedom deteriorating amid crisis, with frequent disruptions to service and monitoring; importer of broadcasting equipment from the USA (2021)

(2020)

domestic: two domestic satellite systems with three earth stations; recent substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas; 3 major providers operate in the mobile market and compete with state-owned company; fixed-line 19 per 100 and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership about 58 per 100 persons (2019)

international: country code - 58; landing points for the Venezuela Festoon, ARCOS, PAN-AM, SAC, GlobeNet, ALBA-1 and Americas II submarine cable system providing connectivity to the Caribbean, Central and South America, and US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 PanAmSat (2020)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Broadband - fixed subscriptionstotal: 64,889

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2017 est.)
total: 2,560,994

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8.93 (2019 est.)
Broadcast mediagovernment-dominated broadcast media; the National Communications Network (NCN) TV is state-owned; a few private TV stations relay satellite services; the state owns and operates 2 radio stations broadcasting on multiple frequencies capable of reaching the entire country; government limits on licensing of new private radio stations has constrained competition in broadcast mediagovernment supervises a mixture of state-run and private broadcast media; 13 public service networks, 61 privately owned TV networks, a privately owned news channel with limited national coverage, and a government-backed Pan-American channel; state-run radio network includes roughly 65 news stations and another 30 stations targeted at specific audiences; state-sponsored community broadcasters include 235 radio stations and 44 TV stations; the number of private broadcast radio stations has been declining, but many still remain in operation

Transportation

GuyanaVenezuela
Roadwaystotal: 3,995 km (2019)

paved: 799 km (2019)

unpaved: 3,196 km (2019)
total: 96,189 km (2014)
Waterways330 km (the Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively) (2012)7,100 km (Orinoco River (400 km) and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels) (2011)
Ports and terminalsmajor seaport(s): Georgetownmajor seaport(s): La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon

oil terminal(s): Jose terminal
Merchant marinetotal: 58

by type: general cargo 28, oil tanker 7, other 23 (2020)
total: 282

by type: bulk carrier 4, container ship 1, general cargo 26, oil tanker 21, other 230 (2020)
Airportstotal: 117 (2013)total: 444 (2013)
Airports - with paved runwaystotal: 11 (2017)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2017)

under 914 m: 8 (2017)
total: 127 (2013)

over 3,047 m: 6 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 33 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 62 (2013)

under 914 m: 17 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runwaystotal: 106 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 16 (2013)

under 914 m: 89 (2013)
total: 317 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 57 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 127 (2013)

under 914 m: 130 (2013)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix8RYV

Military

GuyanaVenezuela
Military branchesthe Guyana Defense Force is a unified service with an Army, Air Corps, Coast Guard, Guyana People's Militia (reserves) (2020)Bolivarian National Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana, FANB): Bolivarian Army (Ejercito Bolivariano, EB), Bolivarian Navy (Armada Bolivariana, AB; includes marines, Coast Guard), Bolivarian Military Aviation (Aviacion Militar Bolivariana, AMB; includes a joint-service Aerospace Defense Command (Comando de Defensa Aeroespacial Integral, CODAI); Bolivarian National Guard (Guardia Nacional Bolivaria, GNB); Bolivarian Militia (Milicia Bolivariana, NMB)

Bolivarian National Police: Special Action Forces (Fuerzas de Acciones Especiales, FAES) (2020)

note(s): the CODAI is a joint service command with personnel drawn from other services; the FAES police paramilitary unit was created by President MADURO after the 2017 anti-government protests to fight crime; it has been accused of multiple human rights abuses
Military service age and obligationlimited information; 18 years of age or older for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019)18-30 (25 for women) for voluntary service; the minimum service obligation is 24-30 months; all citizens of military service age (18-50 years old) are obligated to register for military service and subject to military training, although "forcible recruitment" is forbidden (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP1.7% of GDP (2019)

1.6% of GDP (2018)

1.6% of GDP (2017)

1.5% of GDP (2016)

1.4% of GDP (2015)
0.4% of GDP (2017)

0.5% of GDP (2016)

0.9% of GDP (2015)

1.1% of GDP (2014)

1.6% of GDP (2013)
Military and security service personnel strengthsthe Guyana Defense Force has approximately 3,000 active personnel (2021)information varies; approximately 125-150,000 active personnel, including about 25-30,000 National Guard (2021)

note - at the end of 2018, the Venezuelan Government claimed the Bolivarian Militia had 1.6 million members, but most reportedly have little to no military training
Military equipment inventories and acquisitionsthe Guyana Defense Force's limited inventory is mostly comprised of second-hand platforms from a variety of foreign suppliers, including Brazil, China, the former Soviet Union, the UK, and the US; since 2000, Guyana has received small amounts of military equipment from Brazil, China, and the UK (2020)the FANB inventory is mainly of Chinese and Russian origin with a smaller mix of equipment from Western countries such as France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, and the US; since 2010, Russia is by far the top supplier of military hardware to Venezuela, followed by China, Spain, and Ukraine (2020)

Transnational Issues

GuyanaVenezuela
Disputes - international

all of the area west of the Essequibo River is claimed by Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari Rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne

claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in Guyana, preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; dispute with Colombia over maritime boundary and Venezuelan administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities penetrate Venezuela's shared border region; US, France, and the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's granting full effect to Aves Island, thereby claiming a Venezuelan Economic Exclusion Zone/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest Venezuela's full effect claim

Illicit drugstransshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis; rising money laundering related to drug trafficking and human smugglingsmall-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the processing of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country from Colombia bound for US and Europe; significant narcotics-related money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by Colombian insurgents on border
Refugees and internally displaced personsrefugees (country of origin): 23,300 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or received alternative legal stay) (2020)refugees (country of origin): 67,622 (Colombia) (2019)

note: As of December 2020, more than 800,000 Venezuelans have applied for asylum worldwide
Trafficking in personscurrent situation: Guyana is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor - children are particularly vulnerable; women and girls from Guyana, Venezuela, Suriname, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic are forced into prostitution in Guyana's interior mining communities and urban areas; forced labor is reported in mining, agriculture, forestry, domestic service, and shops; Guyanese nationals are also trafficked to Suriname, Jamaica, and other Caribbean countries for sexual exploitation and forced labor

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Guyana does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Guyana was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; the government released its anti-trafficking action plan in June 2014 but made uneven efforts to implement it; law enforcement was weak, investigating seven trafficking cases, prosecuting four alleged traffickers, and convicting one trafficker - a police officer - who was released on bail pending appeal; in 2014, as in previous years, Guyanese courts dismissed the majority of ongoing trafficking prosecutions; the government referred some victims to care services, which were provided by NGOs with little or no government support (2015)
current situation: Venezuela is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; Venezuelan women and girls are trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation, lured from the nation's interior to urban and tourist areas; women from Colombia, Peru, Haiti, China, and South Africa are also reported to have been sexually exploited in Venezuela; some Venezuelan women are transported to Caribbean islands, particularly Aruba, Curacao, and Trinidad & Tobago, where they are subjected to forced prostitution; some Venezuelan children are forced to beg on the streets or work as domestic servants, while Ecuadorian children, often from indigenous communities, are subjected to forced labor; the government provided support to FARC dissidents and the ELN, which grew through the recruitment of child soldiers and exploitation of children in sex trafficking and forced labor; Illegal armed groups lure children in vulnerable conditions and dire economic circumstances with gifts and promises of basic sustenance to later recruit them into their ranks

tier rating: Tier 3 - Venezuela does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government created a specialized prosecutor's office to oversee trafficking investigations and prosecutions; authorities began legal proceedings against three complicit officials in a notable case; however, the government did not assist any victims or investigate, prosecute, or convict any traffickers; little effort was made to curb the forced recruitment of Venezuelan children by Colombian armed groups operating illegally in Venezuela; authorities made little effort to screen Cuban medical professionals for trafficking indicators as the Cuban Government may have forced them to work by withholding their documentation, and coercing them to falsify medical records (2020)

Environment

GuyanaVenezuela
Air pollutantsparticulate matter emissions: 20.46 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 2.38 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 1.81 megatons (2020 est.)
particulate matter emissions: 15.82 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 164.18 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 68.66 megatons (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawalmunicipal: 61.3 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 20.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 1.363 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
municipal: 5.123 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 793.3 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 16.71 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Waste and recyclingmunicipal solid waste generated annually: 179,252 tons (2010 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 968 tons (2010 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 0.5% (2010 est.)
municipal solid waste generated annually: 9,779,093 tons (2010 est.)

Source: CIA Factbook