KEY FACTS Joined Commonwealth: 1966 Population: 756,000 (2011) GDP p.c.: US$3,408 (2011) UN HDI 2011: world ranking 117 Geography Area: 214,970 sq km Coastline: 459 km Capital: Georgetown The Co-operative Republic of Guyana lies in the north-east of South America, north of the equator. It is bordered by Suriname, Brazil and Venezuela and, to the north and east, extends to the North Atlantic Ocean. The country comprises ten regions. Constitution Status: Republic with executive President Legislature: Parliament of Guyana Independence: 26 May 1966 Guyana is a republic, divided into administrative regions, with an executive President and parliamentary legislature. The 1980 constitution, amended in 2001, provides for an executive presidency and a unicameral legislature, the National Assembly, with 65 members directly elected by proportional representation: 40 at a national level and 25 at a regional level. The normal life of parliament is five years. The leader of the majority party in the Assembly is President for the duration of the Assembly. The President appoints the Prime Minister and cabinet (which may include those from outside the Assembly), which is responsible to parliament. Judicial system Supreme court: Supreme Court of Judicature Ministry: Legal Affairs The justice system is based on English common law with elements of Roman–Dutch Law, and is presided over by the Supreme Court. The most serious cases appear before the High Court, others before the magistrates’ courts. Commonwealth Governance 170 Handbook 2013/14 Appeals are to the High Court, then the Court of Appeal, and finally to the Caribbean Court of Justice in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, which in 2005 succeeded the UK’s Privy Council as the final court of appeal. Government and politics Last elections: November 2011 Next elections: 2016 Head of State: President Donald Ramotar Head of Government: the President Ruling party: People’s Progressive Party–Civic coalition In the general election of March 2001, the first to be held under a new electoral system, the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP)–Civic coalition won 34 seats (53 per cent of the vote). Bharrat Jagdeo retained the presidency and Desmond Hoyte of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR, 27 seats and 42 per cent) continued to lead the opposition. Voter turnout was nearly 90 per cent. Guyana
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