Guyana

Guyana officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labour, deficient infrastructure, and until recently, sizable external debt.

Guyana is not known as a particularly safe destination, with Georgetown being notorious for petty street crime. Never carry all your money with you: in fact, do not carry large amounts of it at all. Never walk alone both during night and day, as daytime is not a guarantee that you’re safe.

Today, Guyana is one of South America’s poorest countries, with an average per capita annual income of around US$4,000. But within the decade, it could be among the richest.

Many crimes are committed along and around the sea wall, from east of the Pegasus Hotel Guyana to Sheriff Street, including the wharf.

The largest ethnic group is the Indo-Guyanese (also known as East Indians), the descendants of indentured laborers from India, who make up 43.5% of the population, according to the 2002 census. They are followed by the Afro-Guyanese, the descendants of slaves from Africa, who constitute 30.2%. Guyanese of mixed heritage make up 16.7%, while the indigenous peoples (known locally as Amerindians) make up 9.1%. The indigenous groups include the Arawaks, the Wai Wai, the Caribs, the Akawaio, the Arecuna, the Patamona, the Wapixana, the Macushi and the Warao.^Theo largest groups, the Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese, have experienced some racial tension.

The majority of Indo-Guyanese are descended from indentured laborers who came from Bhojpuri-speaking areas of North India. A sizable minority are South Indian, largely of Tamil and Telugu descent

Life expectancy at birth is estimated to be 67.39 years for both males and females in 2012. The PAHO/ WHO Global Health Report 2014 (using statistics of 2012) ranked the country as having the highest suicide rate in the world, with a mortality rate of 44.2 per 100,000 inhabitants. According to 2011 estimates from the WHO, HIV prevalence is 1.2% of the teen/adult population (ages 15–49).