Embassy/Consulate Addresses | Foreign Relations | Travel Advisories | Travel Tips | Customs/Duties



EMBASSY/CONSULATE ADDRESSES

Diplomatic Representation in US:
Ambassador: Bayney Ram KARRAN
Embassy: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900, 6901
FAX: (202) 232-1297

Consulate(s) General are in:
New York
866 United Nations Pz., 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10017.

US Diplomatic Representation:
Ambassador: D. Brent Hardt
Embassy: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
Mailing Address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
Telephone: [529] (2) 54900 through 54909, 57960 through 57969
Fax: [529] (2) 58497, 57968


Embassy and Consulate Web Sites for Guyana

Embassy of Guyana, Washington, DC
U.S Embassy Web Site in Guyana


FOREIGN RELATIONS

U.S.-GUYANA RELATIONS

U.S. policy toward Guyana seeks to develop robust, sustainable democratic institutions, laws, and political practices; support economic growth and development; promote an active, organized, and empowered civil society; and promote stability and security. Beginning in the late 1980s, Guyana sought to improve relations with the United States as part of a decision to shift toward political nonalignment, moving from state socialism and one-party control to a market economy and greater freedom of the press and assembly. This shift, recent free and fair democratic elections, closer security cooperation, and expanding trade and investment have helped place U.S.-Guyanese relations on an excellent footing.

The United States values Guyana's partnership and cooperation on issues of mutual interest. Together, the two countries promote democracy and respect for human rights; empower youth, women, the private sector, and civic/opinion leaders to formulate grassroots responses to social and economic challenges; support new initiatives to improve the health of the Guyanese people; and, through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, enhance the security and prosperity of the region.

U.S. Assistance to Guyana

Working together through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), the United States and Guyana, along with other nations of the Caribbean, are combating drug trafficking and other transnational crimes that threaten regional security. The United States also works closely with Guyana in the fight against HIV/AIDS through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program. U.S. agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), are administering a multi-million dollar program of education, prevention, and treatment for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, and contributing to the country’s health care capacity. USAID also supports an activity designed to strengthen political processes and institutions. The Public Affairs Section is developing people-to-people ties through exchange programs and by supporting meaningful discourse and programs with civil society, the private sector, and government on issues of bilateral importance. U.S. military medical and engineering teams continue to conduct training exercises in Guyana, digging wells, building schools and clinics, and providing medical treatment.

Bilateral Economic Relations

Guyana’s 2011 nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was USD 1.9 billion, and with an estimated population of 751,000 people, its per capita GDP was USD 2,500. In 2011, the service sector, led by construction services, contributed to 65 percent of the GDP, followed by the agricultural and mining sectors which contributed 23 percent and 10 percent respectively. The manufacturing sector accounted for 4 percent of the GDP.

Guyana’s leading export goods in 2011 were gold, rice, and bauxite which accounted for 45 percent, 15 percent and 11 percent of export earnings respectively. Sugar accounted for 11 percent of total export earnings. In 2011, Guyana's exports to all countries were $1.128 billion and its imports were $1.747 billion. Guyana traded more with the United States in 2011 than with any other country, exporting $424.5 million of goods to the U.S. while importing $363.6 million of U.S. goods. Guyanese products such as apparel knit with U.S.-made material, sugar, seafood, fruit, and other agricultural products enjoy duty-free access to the U.S. market under the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act, which has been extended to 2020.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has identified the Guyana Suriname basin as having the second highest resource potential among unexplored oil basins in the world and estimates mean recoverable oil reserves of 15 billion barrels of oil and gas reserves of 42 trillion cubic feet. Under the Energy Governance and Capacity Initiative (EGCI), the United Stated Government provides a range of technical and capacity building assistance as Guyana seeks to develop financial and regulatory regimes and address capacity issues that would maximize the development potential from prospective offshore oil and gas resources.

Guyana's Membership in International Organizations

Following its independence from the United Kingdom in 1966, Guyana sought an influential role in international affairs, particularly among developing countries and nonaligned nations. Guyana and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, Organization of American States, and International Monetary Fund. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat is headquartered in Guyana.

Bilateral Representation

The U.S. Ambassador to Guyana is D. Brent Hardt; he also serves as the U.S. Plenipotentiary Representative to CARICOM. Other principal embassy officials are listed in the Department's Key Officers List.

Guyana maintains an embassy in the United States at 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-265-6900), and a Consulate at 370 7th Avenue, Room 402, New York, NY 10001.

More information about Guyana is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here:

Department of State Guyana Page
Department of State Key Officers List
CIA World Factbook Guyana Page
U.S. Embassy: Guyana
USAID Guyana Page
History of U.S. Relations With Guyana
Human Rights Reports
International Religious Freedom Reports
Trafficking in Persons Reports
Narcotics Control Reports
Investment Climate Statements
Country Studies
Travel and Business Information




TRAVEL ADVISORIES

To obtain the latest Travel Advisory Information for Guyana check the U.S. State Department Consular Information Sheet.


TRAVEL TIPS

Driving TBA
Currency (GYD) Guyanese Dollar
Electrical 240 Volts
Telephones Country Code 529, City Code, Georgetown 218+4D, Mahaicony 221+4D



Time: GMT - 4.

Electricity: 110 and 220 volts AC, 60Hz.

Telephone: IDD is available to main towns and cities. Country code: 592. Outgoing international code: 001.

Climate: Guyana’s climate is warm and tropical throughout the year. The rainfall is generally high for most of the year, as is the humidity. December to January and May to June are the rainy seasons, while in coastal areas the climate is tempered by sea breezes.

Food & Drink: The food in hotels and restaurants reflects the range of influences on Guyanese society. From India came curries, especially mutton, prawn or chicken, and Africa contributed dishes such as foo-foo (plantains made into cakes) and metemgee (edows, yams, cassava and plantains cooked in coconut milk and grated coconut). Portuguese garlic pork and Amerindian pepperpot are specialities. On the menus of most restaurants one may find chicken, pork and steak and, most of the time, shrimp. The best Chinese food in the country can be found in Georgetown.
It is best to drink bottled water in Guyana. Local rum, known as Demerara rum, is well worth trying, while the local beer is Banks.

Shopping: Stabroek Market in Georgetown has local straw hats, baskets, clay goblets and jewellery. Other shops sell Amerindian bows and arrows, hammocks, pottery and salad bowls. Government-run shops sell magnificent jewellery, utilising local gold, silver, precious and semi-precious stones. Prices are very low for the quality of goods. It is absolutely essential to ensure that receipts and correct documentation are retained, otherwise visitors may experience difficulty when clearing customs. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1130 and 1300-1600, Sat 0800-1130.

Tipping: 10 percent at hotels and restaurants.

Currency: Guyanese Dollar (G$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of G$1000, 500, 100 and 20. Coins are in denominations of G$10, 5 and 1. US Dollars are widely accepted throughout Guyana.

Credit & debit cards: American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Diners Club enjoy limited acceptance (eg at certain hotels and shops). Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.


CUSTOMS/DUTIES

Currency.......................Must be declared on arrival

Tobacco........................200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 225 grams of tobacco

Liquor...........................Spirits not exceeding 570m

Perfume........................Reasonable for personal use

Cameras........................No restrictions

Film...............................Reasonable for personal use

Gifts...............................No duty free allowance

Agricultural items..........Refer to Consulate



Back to Top