GUYANA

Country Profile
As of June 2022

CDEMA PARTICIPATING CARICOM UN RESIDENT UN EMERGENCY

STATE HEADQUARTERS COORDINATOR TECHNICAL TEAM
OFFICE (UNETT)
OPERATIONAL PRESENCE 1
UN AGENCIES Civil Defence NGOs
Commission (CDC)
7 3
KEY FIGURES
100+
POPULATION 2
90-94
786,599 80-84
70-74
60-64
50-54
40-44
30-34
20-24
10-14
0-4
POPULATION WITHIN 5KM OF VENEZUELAN REFUGEES
COASTLINE 3 & MIGRANTS 3 SEASONAL RISK SIGNIFICANT DISASTERS 8
24.8% 28.9K 2021 FLOOD
JAN
NATIONAL POVERTY RATE 4 POVERTY RATE IN RURAL
150K PEOPLE
36% HINTERLANDS* 4 AFFECTED
74% FEB
2015 FLOOD
SOCIOECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT PEOPLE
Guyana’s economy grew by an extraordinary 43.5 per cent in 2020, boosted by the
MAR
199K AFFECTED
introduction of the oil sector, outweighing the negative impacts of the pandemic on the
economy.5 The Guyanese economy was expected to grow by nearly 21 per cent in 2021,6 2008 FLOOD
100K PEOPLE
followed by a projected 49 per cent growth rate in 2022.5 Still, livelihood conditions and
food security have deteriorated for large segments of the population amid the pandemic. APR
AFFECTED
According to a WFP-led survey in 2022 February, 65 per cent of respondents reported
disruptions in livelihoods and 56 per cent reduced or lost income. Meanwhile, 36 per cent
reported reduced food consumption and nearly all (98 per cent) of respondents observed MAY 2005 FLOOD
increased food prices.7 274.7K PEOPLE
AFFECTED
KEY ISSUES JUN
SEASONAL FLOODING 1997 DROUGHT
Guyana has two distinct rainy seasons each year. The first occurs between May and July,
JUL 607.2K PEOPLE
while the second takes place between November and January. In May and June 2021, heavy AFFECTED
flooding hit all 10 regions of the country, affecting 150,000 people.8 Total rainfall for May
was more than 607mm, the second highest total for that month in the last 30 years.9 On 10 MOST COMMON DISASTER
June, the Government declared a disaster, citing regions 2, 5, 6, 7 and 10 among those most AUG TYPE (2000-2021) 8
affected by flooding.9

VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS & REFUGEES SEP

The Venezuelan refugee and migrant population is projected to reach nearly 29,000 in FLOOD
6
2022.11 Most Venezuelans settle in indigenous border regions 1 (Barima-Waini) and 7
(Cuyuni-Mazaruni) as well as peri-urban areas in regions 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and 3 OCT PEOPLE AFFECTED BY
(Essequibo Islands-West Demerara). They face limited access to health care, protection and DISASTERS (2000-2021) 8
WASH, and increased risk of exploitation and violence. UNHCR estimates that there are
some 2,500 indigenous Warao in Guyana.12 The Warao are among the most vulnerable NOV 762K
Venezuelans in Guyana. Many eat just one meal or less per day, lack adequate shelter and TOTAL DAMAGES CAUSED
access to safe water. BY DISASTERS (2000-2021) 8
DEC
GEOGRAPHIC DISPARITIES & INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
There is extreme inequality between urban-coastal and rural-interior areas in access to
$677.8M
essential services, socioeconomic conditions and food security. In the rural hinterlands LAC INFORM RISK 13
(regions 1, 7, 8 and 9), where the majority (80 per cent) of indigenous people live, poverty (Max 10)
and extreme poverty affect 74 and 54 per cent of the population, respectively.10 The food
and nutrition situation in the hinterland regions is worrisome, with one in four indigenous
children suffering from stunting.10 These communities are extremely vulnerable due to their
lack of capacity to respond to and recover from emergencies amid the COVID-19 pandemic. FLOOD TSUNAMI DROUGHT
8.4 7.2 6.8

The numbers presented are for orientation and not conclusive.

Sources: 1. OCHA 3W as of June 2021 / 2. UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2020 population projection) / 3. IDB / 4. Government of Guyana / 5. ECLAC / 6. World Bank / 7. CARICOM, WFP /
8. CRED EM-DAT / 9. Civil Defence Commission (Guyana) / 10. UNICEF / 11. R4V / 12. UNHCR / 13. http://www.inform-index.org. Feedback: ocha-rolac@un.org
*Rural hinterlands consist of regions 1 (Barima-Waini), 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), 8 (Potaro-Siparuni) and 9 (Upper Takutu-Upper Esequibo).