Guyana’s population surges to 878,674 in 2022, but estimated at 956,044 at the end of 2024

Guyana’s population climbed to 878,674 at the time of the 2022 National Population and Housing Census, recording the country’s highest population growth rate since the end of World War II.

The preliminary results of the census were formally unveiled to the public on Monday, January 12, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, just hours after President Dr Irfaan Ali received the first copy of the report at State House earlier in the day.

Delivering the formal presentation of results, Deputy Chief Statistician and Deputy Census Officer Vanessa Profitt confirmed that the 2022 census, the country’s 18th population and housing census, was conducted exactly 10 years after the 2012 exercise, in line with United Nations recommendations and CARICOM guidelines. The reference date for the data is September 15, 2022.

The census recorded Guyana’s population at 878,674 in 2022, up sharply from 746,955 in 2012. This represents a growth rate of approximately 1.64 per cent annually over the intercensal period — the fastest sustained growth recorded since the post–World War II era.

Population estimates prepared by the Bureau of Statistics show that this upward trend has continued beyond census day, with the population estimated at about 956,044 by the end of 2024, reflecting an annual growth rate of roughly 3.3 per cent between 2022 and 2024.

A long-term population graph presented during the briefing illustrated steady growth from 1960 to 1980, a period of fluctuation between the early 1990s and 2012, and a sharp acceleration after 2016, coinciding with Guyana’s economic transformation.