STATISTICS: Guyana


Guyana

76.7% —or about 15,104,000 hectares—of Guyana is forested. Of this, 61.7% —or roughly 9,314,000 hectares—is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse form of forest. **Please note that these official Guyanese government are 15 years old and as such may no longer be accurate.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2000, Guyana had no significant change or no reported in forest cover, according to government figures. Scientists who are working in the country estimate that annual deforestation is around 15,000 ha per year.

Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Guyana has some 1263 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 2.1% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 2.2% are threatened. Guyana is home to at least 6409 species of vascular plants. 2.3% of Guyana is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

Guyana Environmental profile






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Guyana: Forest Cover, 2005
Total Land Area (ha)19,685,000
Total Forest Area (ha)15,104,000
Percent Forest Cover76.73%
Primary Forest Cover (ha)9,314,000
Primary Forest, % total forest61.67%
Primary Forest, % total land47.32%
Other wooded land (ha)3,580,000


Guyana : Forest types
Tropical (% forest area)100%
Subtropical (% forest area)0%
Temperate (% forest area)0%
Boreal/polar (% forest area)0%


Guyana: Breakdown of forest types, 2005
Primary forest (ha | %)9,314,00061.7%
Modified natural (ha | %)5,789,00038.3%
Semi-natural (ha | %)--
Production plantation (ha | %)--
Production plantation (ha | %)--


Guyana: Change in Forest Cover
TOTAL FOREST COVER
Forest 1990 (ha)15,104,000
Forest 2000 (ha)15,104,000
Forest 2005 (ha)15,104,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)-0.00%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)-0.00%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)-0.00%
Change in rate (%)#DIV/0!
PRIMARY FOREST COVER
Primary 1990 (ha)-
Primary 2000 (ha)9,314,000
Primary 2005 (ha)9,314,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)--
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)-0.00%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)--
Change in rate (%)-
OTHER WOODED LAND
Other 1990 (ha)-
Other 2000 (ha)3,580,000
Other 2005 (ha)3,580,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)--
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)-0.00%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)--
Change in rate (%)-
PLANTATIONS
Other 1990 (ha)-
Other 2000 (ha)-
Other 2005 (ha)-
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)--
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)--
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)--
Change in rate (%)-
TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION
Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations
Other 1990 (ha)15,104,000
Other 2000 (ha)18,684,000
Other 2005 (ha)18,684,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)358,0002.37%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)-0.00%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)3,580,00023.70%
Change in rate (%)-100.00%


Guyana: Primary
Primary or "old-growth" vegetation
Primary Forest 2005 (ha)9,314,000
Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha)-
Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha)9,314,000
Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area)47.32%


Guyana: Forest designation
Ownership of forest land, 2000
Public (%)66.3%
Private (%)-
Other (%)33.7%
Ownership of other wooded land, 2000
Public (%)66.3%
Private (%)-
Other (%)33.7%
Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005
Production (%)34.9%
Protection (%)-
Conservation (%)1.0%
Social Services (%)2.4%
Multiple Services (%)-
None of Unknown (%)61.7%


Guyana: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000
Forest Area annually affected by
Fire (%)-
Insects (ha)-
Diseases (ha)-
Other (ha)-


Guyana: Protected areas
Protected areas
Biosphere reserves, 2005
Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 20050
World Heritage sites, 20040
Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land2.3%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land0.59%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 20041.67%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 20040.00%


Guyana: Biodiversity - Wildlife
Amphibians
total species104
endemic species16
threatened species6
Birds
total species786
endemic species4
threatened species3
Mammals
total species237
endemic species3
threatened species13
Reptiles
total species136
endemic species3
threatened species6
Wildlife diversity
total species1263
endemic species26
threatened species28


Guyana: Biodiversity - Plants
Growing stock composition
3 most common species
% of total growing stock
-
Growing stock composition
3 most common species
% of total growing stock
-
Number of Native tree species
Native tree species1,182
Number of tree species in IUCN red list
Critically Endangered1
Endangered3
Vulnerable18
Vascular Plant Species, 2004
Total6409
Number endemic0
Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004
Species threatened23


Guyana: Value of forests
Biomass stock in forest, 2005
Above-ground biomass (M t)2,824
Below-ground biomass (M t)619
Dead wood (M t)378
Total (M t)3,821
Carbon stock in forest, 2005
Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t)1,412
Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t)310
Carbon in dead wood (M t)190
Carbon in litter (M t)121
Soil carbon (M t)-
Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005
Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr)
1990-2000-
2000-2005-
Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005
Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr)
1990-2000-
2000-2005-
Wood removal 2005
Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m)-
Wood fuel (1000 cubic m)-
Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m)-
Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock)-
Plant products 2005
Food (t)-
Fodder (t)-
Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t)-
Raw material for colorants and dyes (t)-
Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t)-
Ornamental plants (t)-
Exudates (t)-
Other plant products (t)-
Animal products 2005
Living animals (units)-
Hides, skins and trophies (units)-
Wild honey and bee-wax (t)-
Bush meat (t)-
Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t)-
Raw material for colorants and dyes (t)-
Other edible animal products (t)-
Other non-edible animal products (t)-
Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005
Industrial roundwood (US$)-
Wood fuel (US$)-
Non-wood forest products (US$)-
Total value (US$)-
Total value ($USD/ha)$-
Employment in forestry 2000
Total people employed-


Guyana : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002
Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production873
Imports-
Exports0
Consumption873
Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production269
Imports0
Exports48
Consumption221
Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production35
Imports0
Exports33
Consumption2
Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production51
Imports0
Exports47
Consumption4
Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002
Production-
Imports0
Exports-
Consumption0
Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002
Production-
Imports7
Exports0
Consumption7
Guyana: Environment
Environment - current issueswater pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Natural hazardsflash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons


Guyana: Land use / Resources
Land use (%)arable land: 2.44%
permanent crops: 0.15%
other: 97.41% (2001)
Natural resourcesbauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish


Guyana: Economy
Economy - overview:The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in 2001-02, based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support of international organizations. Growth then slowed in 2003 and came back gradually in 2004, buoyed largely by increased export earnings, and slowed again in 2005. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure. The government is juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. The bauxite mining sector should benefit in the near term from restructuring and partial privatization. Export earnings from agriculture and mining have fallen sharply, while the import bill has risen, driven by higher energy prices.
GDP - per capita$3,900 (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate (%)0.5% (2005 est.)
Agriculture - productssugarcane, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish, shrimp
GDP - composition by sector (%)agriculture: 36.8%, industry: 20.2%, services: 43% (2005 est.)
Industries bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining
Economic aid - recipient$84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC) $253 million (1997)
Debt - external$1.2 billion (2002)
Population below poverty line (%)NA
Labor force - by occupation (%)agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%


Guyana: Population / Demographics
Population (July 2005)765,283
Population growth rate (%) (2005)0.26%
Population density (people/sq km) (2005)3.9
Percent rural (2003)62.4%
Median age (years)total: 26.91 years
Total fertility rate (children born/woman)2.05 (2005 est.)
Ethnic groups (%)East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and mixed 7%


Largest Cities in Guyana

Cities and urban areas in Guyana with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.

CityCountryCity PopulationUrban Area Population
GeorgetownGuyana225800225800




 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
 Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)
 Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
 Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
 RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
 World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
 The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
 Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
 With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com



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