Updated
Overview
Guyana has 31% more people than Suriname: 835,986 against 639,850 (2025).
Guyana's economy is 6.0 times the size of Suriname's, at $27.10B versus $4.52B.
Per person, Guyana is the wealthier of the two: $32,414 against $7,070 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Guyana | Suriname | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $27.10B | $4.52B | 2025 | $24.84B / $4.71B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $32,414 | $7,070 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 19.3% | 1.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 3.3% | 9.2% | 2025 | 2.9% / 16.2% |
| Unemployment | 12.0% | Lower: 7.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 33 | 31 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $424 | — | 2021 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $288 | $125 | 2024 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 835,986 | 639,850 | 2025 | 794,099 / 653,605 |
| Population growth | 0.6% | 0.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 26.2 yrs | 28.6 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.37 | 2.21 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 70.3 yrs | Higher: 73.8 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 26% | 66% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 83% | Higher: 87% | 2024 / 2023 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 214,969 km² | 163,820 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 3.9/km² | 3.9/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 4.51 Mt | Lower: 2.99 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 5.4 t | Lower: 4.7 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $201.84M | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.9% | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 3,000 | 2,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Guyana is growing much faster: 19.3% annual GDP growth versus 1.8%.
Suriname runs the hotter price environment: 9.2% inflation versus 3.3%.
People and society
Guyana is the younger society: median age 26.2 versus 28.6 years.
Life expectancy is 3.4 years longer in Suriname (73.8 vs 70.3).
Suriname is considerably more urbanized: 66% of people live in cities, against 26%.
Geography
By land area, Guyana is 31% larger than Suriname: 214,969 km² versus 163,820 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Military
Guyana fields the larger armed forces: 3,000 personnel against 2,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Guyana bigger than Suriname?
- Guyana is larger by land area. Guyana covers 214,969 km² while Suriname covers 163,820 km², so Guyana is 31% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Guyana or Suriname?
- Guyana has the larger population: 835,986 versus 639,850 (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Guyana richer than Suriname?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Guyana is richer: $32,414 against $7,070. Total GDP tells the same story: $27.10B for Guyana versus $4.52B for Suriname.