Guyana's emigration rate is among the highest in the world - more than 55% of its citizens reside abroad - and it is one of the largest recipients of remittances relative to GDP among Latin American and Caribbean counties. Although remittances are a vital source of income for most citizens, the pervasive emigration of skilled workers deprives Guyana of professionals in healthcare and other key sectors. More than 80% of Guyanese nationals with tertiary level educations have emigrated. Brain drain and the concentration of limited medical resources in Georgetown hamper Guyana's ability to meet the health needs of its predominantly rural population. Guyana has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the region and continues to rely on international support for its HIV treatment and prevention programs.

Population:
739,903 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
[see also: Population country ranks ]

Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.2% (male 113,724/female 109,643)
[see also: Age structure 0-14 years country ranks ]
15-24 years: 20.7% (male 78,798/female 74,202)
25-54 years: 36.9% (male 138,167/female 134,695)
55-64 years: 7.2% (male 22,772/female 30,358)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 15,276/female 22,268) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 65.3 %
[see also: Dependency ratios - total dependency ratio country ranks ]
youth dependency ratio: 59.6 %
elderly dependency ratio: 5.7 %
potential support ratio: 17.7 (2013)

Median age:
total: 24.5 years
[see also: Median age - total country ranks ]
male: 23.7 years
female: 25.3 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.21% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 214
[see also: Population growth rate country ranks ]

Birth rate:
16.31 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
[see also: Birth rate country ranks ]

Death rate:
7.18 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
[see also: Death rate country ranks ]

Net migration rate:
-11.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 214
[see also: Net migration rate country ranks ]

Urbanization:
urban population: 29% of total population (2010)
[see also: Urbanization - urban population country ranks ]
rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas - population:
GEORGETOWN (capital) 132,000 (2009)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - at birth country ranks ]
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.75 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth:
20.8
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2009 est.)
[see also: Mother's mean age at first birth country ranks ]

Maternal mortality rate:
280 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 42
[see also: Maternal mortality rate country ranks ]

Infant mortality rate:
total: 34.45 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 66
male: 38.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 30.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.68 years
country comparison to the world: 162
male: 63.83 years
female: 71.72 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.21 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
[see also: Total fertility rate country ranks ]

Contraceptive prevalence rate:
42.5% (2009)
[see also: Contraceptive prevalence rate country ranks ]

Health expenditures:
5.9% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 114
[see also: Health expenditures country ranks ]

Physicians density:
0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
[see also: Physicians density country ranks ]

Hospital bed density:
2 beds/1,000 population (2009)
[see also: Hospital bed density country ranks ]

Drinking water source:
improved: