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

Data code: GY

Government 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: President Janet JAGAN (since NA December 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature
elections: president elected by the majority party in the National Assembly after legislative elections, which must be held within five years; legislative elections last held 15 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2000; this date was part of a negotiated settlement between the two main political parties following a dispute over the December elections); prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (65 seats, 53 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 15 December 1997 (next to be held by March 2000; this date was negotiated following a dispute over the December elections)
election results: percent of vote by party—PPP 54%, PNC 41%, AFG 1%, TUF 1%; seats by party—PPP 36, PNC 25, AFG 2, TUF 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature

Political parties and leaders: People's Progressive Party or PPP [leader NA]; People's National Congress or PNC [Hugh Desmond HOYTE]; For a Good and Green Guyana or GGG [Hamilton GREEN]; Alliance for Guyana or AFG [Rupert ROOPNARINE]; Democratic Labor Movement or DLM [Paul TENNASSEE]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Llewellyn JOHN]; National Democratic Front or NDF [Joseph BACCHUS]; The United Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; National Republican Party or NRP [Robert GANGADEEN]; Guyana Labor Party or GLP [leader NA]; Guyana Democratic Party or GDP [Asgar ALLY]; Guyanese Organization for Liberty and Democracy Party or GOLD [Anthony MEKDECI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Trades Union Congress or TUC; Guyana Council of Indian Organizations or GCIO; Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC
note: the latter two organizations are small and active but not well organized

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL
chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MACK
embassy: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
telephone: [592] (2) 54900 through 54909, 57960 through 57969
FAX: [592] (2) 59497

Flag description: green, 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