Guyana
South America · South America
Oil boom country: English-speaking, massive jungle, giant new petroleum revenues.
At a Glance
📈Guyana's Human Development Index
0.742
High human development#94 of 191 countries worldwide, #8 of 12 in South America.
Higher than 51% of countries with data. UNDP Human Development Report.
UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita.
Closest indicators in this dataset
World Bank, own vintages. UNDP’s own component values are not carried here, so these are related measures rather than the index inputs.
Nearest countries by HDI
Full HDI ranking, all 191 countries →Guyana
Guyana is a South American country on the Atlantic coast with a vast interior of Amazonian jungle, savanna, and some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world, including Kaieteur Falls, which drops nearly five times the height of Niagara. The culture is a Creole blend of African, Indian, Amerindian, and European influences that makes it culturally unlike any of its South American neighbours. It suits wildlife enthusiasts and those drawn to the genuinely unexplored.
- Discovered massive offshore oil in 2015 — now one of the fastest-growing economies globally.
- Only South American country with cricket as a major sport, legacy of British colonial rule.
- Largest country in South America with English as official language.
Quick Facts
Capital
Georgetown
Language
English
Currency
$ GYD
Area
211,140 km²
Nomad Hub
Fixed Broadband
137Mbps
GDP / Capita
$32K
PPP / Capita
$98K
Inflation
3.3%
Unemployment
12.0%
GNI / Capita
$28K
FDI Inflows
35.0%
Cost of Living
50.4
Price Level Index
79th pct
20-Year Trend + IMF Forecast
Income & inflation over time
HDI since 1990
0.496 → 0.742 (+0.246)Year by year →UNDP Human Development Report, 2023-24 edition. 33 annual values, none interpolated; hover any point for its year.
Twenty years here
Year by year →The world report →World Bank observations, first to last available year per indicator (roughly 2005–2024; each series has its own window).
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💬Quick answers
What is Guyana's Human Development Index?
Guyana's Human Development Index is 0.742 (UNDP Human Development Report), ranked #94 of 191 countries.
Is Guyana safe?
Guyana scores 2.09 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #102 of 160 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.
How expensive is Guyana?
Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts Guyana at 50.4 (New York = 100); that is #99 cheapest of 143 countries with data.
What is life expectancy in Guyana?
Life expectancy at birth in Guyana is 70.3 yrs (World Bank), ranked #131 of 195 countries.