live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.1 years
male: 61.86 years
female: 68.5 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.23 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Guyanese

Ethnic divisions: East Indian 51%, black and mixed 43%, Amerindian 4%,
European and Chinese 2%

Religions: Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1%

Languages: English, Amerindian dialects

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school (1990 est.)
total population: 96%
male: 98%
female: 95%

Labor force: 268,000
by occupation: industry and commerce 44.5%, agriculture 33.8%,
services 21.7%
note: public-sector employment amounts to 60%-80% of the total labor
force (1985)

@Guyana:Government

Names:
conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
conventional short form: Guyana
former: British Guiana

Digraph: GY

Type: republic

Capital: Georgetown

Administrative divisions: 10 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 Essequibo

Independence: 26 May 1966 (from UK)

National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution: 6 October 1980

Legal system: based on English common law with certain admixtures of
Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Executive President Cheddi JAGAN (since 5 October
1992); election last held 5 October 1992; results - Cheddi JAGAN was
elected president since he was leader of the party with the most votes
in the National Assembly elections
head of government: Prime Minister Sam HINDS (since 5 October 1992)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers; appointed by the president, responsible
to the legislature

Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly: elections last held on 5 October 1992 (next to be
held in 1997); results - PPP 53.4%, PNC 42.3%, WPA 2%, TUF 1.2%; seats
- (65 total, 53 elected) PPP 36, PNC 26, WPA 2, TUF 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature

Political parties and leaders: People's Progressive Party (PPP),
Cheddi JAGAN; People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE;
Good and Green Georgetown (GGG), Hamilton GREEN; Working People's
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