Guyana People - 2023

Population

791,739 (2023 est.)

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Nationality

noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Guyanese

Ethnic groups

East Indian 39.8%, African descent 29.3%, mixed 19.9%, Amerindian 10.5%, other 0.5% (includes Portuguese, Chinese, White) (2012 est.)

Languages

English (official), Guyanese Creole, Amerindian languages (including Caribbean and Arawak languages), Indian languages (including Caribbean Hindustani, a dialect of Hindi), Chinese (2014 est.)

Religions

Protestant 34.8% (Pentecostal 22.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Anglican 5.2%, Methodist 1.4%), Hindu 24.8%, other Christian 20.8%, Roman Catholic 7.1%, Muslim 6.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 0.5%, other 0.9%, none 3.1% (2012 est.)

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.

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.65% (male 95,605/female 91,654)

15-64 years: 68.49% (male 281,157/female 261,113)

65 years and over: 7.86% (2023 est.) (male 27,269/female 34,941)

total dependency ratio: 53.6

youth dependency ratio: 44.1

elderly dependency ratio: 9.5

potential support ratio: 10.6 (2021 est.)

Median age

total: 27.5 years

male: 27.2 years

female: 27.9 years (2020 est.)

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Population growth rate

0.28% (2023 est.)

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Birth rate

16.74 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

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Death rate

6.95 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

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Net migration rate

-6.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

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Population distribution

population 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 populated

Urbanization

urban population: 27.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

110,000 GEORGETOWN (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

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

15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.8 years (2009 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29

Maternal mortality ratio

112 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

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Infant mortality rate

total: 21.63 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 24.45 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.15 years

male: 70.32 years

female: 74.07 years (2023 est.)

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Total fertility rate

2.06 children born/woman (2023 est.)

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Gross reproduction rate

1 (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

29.9% (2019/20)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 95.6% of population

total: 96.8% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 4.4% of population

total: 3.2% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure

5.5% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density

1.42 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Hospital bed density

1.7 beds/1,000 population (2016)

Sanitation facility access

improved: 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 (2020 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high (2023)

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

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.2% (2016)

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Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 5.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 2.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 2.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

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Tobacco use

total: 12.1% (2020 est.)

male: 21.7% (2020 est.)

female: 2.4% (2020 est.)

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Children under the age of 5 years underweight

8.2% (2014)

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Currently married women (ages 15-49)

62.6% (2023 est.)

Education expenditures

4.5% of GDP (2018 est.)

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Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 88.8%

male: 89.3%

female: 88.4% (2021)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 12 years (2012)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 29.9%

male: 23.5%

female: 39.6% (2021 est.)

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NOTE: The information regarding Guyana on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Guyana 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Guyana 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.