Guyana People 2024, CIA World Factbook

Population

791,739 (2023 est.)

Nationality

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

2023 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

0.28% (2023 est.)

Birth rate

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

Death rate

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

Net migration rate

-7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

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

Major urban areas - population

110,000 GEORGETOWN (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

Mother's mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate

2.06 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1 (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

29.9% (2019/20)

Drinking water source

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

Major infectious diseases

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.2% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

9.4% (2019)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

62.6% (2023 est.)

Education expenditures

4.5% of GDP (2018 est.)

Literacy

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)