Guyana
Overview
Last reviewed - 14 October 2024Guyana is located on the north-eastern coast of South America and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Venezuela, Brazil, and Suriname. Its total area is approximately 215,000 square kilometres (83,000 square miles). The country is divided into three counties: Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice and ten administrative regions, with its capital residing in the City of Georgetown. 90% of the population lives on the coastal strip, while the Amerindians (Guyana’s indigenous people) mainly inhabit the savannahs and forest regions.
Guyana is a republic within the British Commonwealth. It became independent on 26 May 1966 and operates under a written Constitution (1980) with a form of government based on the Westminster System, with an elected Head of State. The official language is English and the population, as at the 2012 census, is approximately 747,884. The legal system is based mainly on the English common law; however, vestiges of a Roman-Dutch legal system remain, especially in the area of land tenure. The currency is the Guyanese dollar (GYD).
Guyana’s economy consists mainly of industries dependent on the utilisation of natural resources (e.g. agriculture, mining, fishing, timber). The main agricultural exports are rice and sugar, while bauxite and gold are the major mineral exports. The oil and gas industry is in the early stages of development, with Guyana currently being one of the prime targets for petroleum exploration with its offshore basin and, to a lesser extent, its inland Takatu Basin currently attracting a great deal of interest from petroleum exploration companies.
Quick rates and dates
Corporate income tax (CIT) rates | |
---|---|
Headline CIT rate (%) |
25 |
Corporate income tax (CIT) due dates | |
---|---|
CIT return due date |
30 April |
CIT final payment due date |
30 April |
CIT estimated payment due dates |
15 March, 15 June, 15 September, and 15 December |
Personal income tax (PIT) rates | |
---|---|
Headline PIT rate (%) |
40 |
Personal income tax (PIT) due dates | |
---|---|
PIT return due date |
30 April |
PIT final payment due date |
30 April |
PIT estimated payment due dates |
PAYE basis: 14th day of the month following that in which the employment income was paid. Self-employed: On quarterly basis (1 April, 1 July, 1 October, and 31 December of each year). |
Value-added tax (VAT) rates | |
---|---|
Standard VAT rate (%) |
14 |
Withholding tax (WHT) rates | |
---|---|
WHT rates (%) (Dividends/Interest/Royalties) |
Resident: 0 / 0 / 0; Non-resident: 20 / 20 / 20 |
Capital gains tax (CGT) rates | |
---|---|
Headline corporate capital gains tax rate (%) |
20 |
Headline individual capital gains tax rate (%) |
20 |
Net wealth/worth tax rates | |
---|---|
Headline net wealth/worth tax rate (%) |
NA |
Inheritance and gift tax rates | |
---|---|
Headline inheritance tax rate (%) |
NA |
Headline gift tax rate (%) |
NA |