2022 population, housing census…Population tops 878,000 with men slightly outnumbering women – Guyana Chronicle

–Dr. Singh says data strengthens evidence-based policy, decision-making

GUYANA’S population, as of September 2022, stands at some 878,674, with estimations placing the count at 956,044 by the end of 2024.
This was revealed on Monday when the Bureau of Statistics handed over the 2022 Guyana National Population and Housing Census preliminary report to Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh.

During the handing over ceremony at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, the minister, in his remarks, noted that the population growth comes as no surprise, as he noted that as a government, they have been working and dedicating a lot of effort toward making Guyana a hospitable and more attractive place for Guyanese nationals to live, work, invest, save, earn and retire.
Against this backdrop, he noted that the government has invested funds to ensure that there are improved social services, among other things.
“So, the fact that we’re seeing the kind of population growth that we are seeing comes really as no surprise to any of us, because we are seeing more and more Guyanese people choosing to remain in Guyana for work, and for entrepreneurial opportunities,” he said.
Further, he noted that authorities have also been observing more Guyanese who have previously migrated out of Guyana, returning and exploring options here.
Speaking to the census, Dr. Singh noted that quality data continues to be extremely valuable to government, the private sector and broader stakeholders, and underscored that government remains firmly committed to supporting the production of high quality, credible official statistics as he encouraged all citizens and stakeholders to review the report.
Providing the census overview, Chief Statistician, Errol La Cruez, said that the preliminary results include the population count, population by region, by sex, the household count and average size, population density, local and foreign-born population and building stock.
He noted that the release of the preliminary census results marks the beginning, as it will be followed by a more detailed report in the coming months.
The 2022 census, he said, was conducted in a global climate unlike any other, as he noted that the COVID-19 pandemic did more than disrupt logistics but also disrupted data collection globally and created a shift in societies.

“Here at home, we’ve also had our own nuanced difficulties and challenges, ranging from competing national events, as well as rugged terrain and environmental conditions. In the face of such factors, the bureau remains steadfast and conditioned, ensuring overall quality that balances timeliness and accuracy with data coverage that secures results in which we can have confidence,” he said.
Additionally, the Deputy Chief Statistician, Vanessa Profitt, during her presentation of the preliminary results, said this was the 18th such national census done in Guyana, being conducted some 10 years after the previous one.
In this count, there was a 17.63 per cent increase in the population size from 2012 to 2022, accounting for some 131,719 persons.
GROWTH IN ALL REGIONS
Looking at a disaggregation of the data by administrative region, there was population growth in all regions, with Region Four maintaining the largest population share of about 39.58 per cent, with Region Three coming in as the second most populous region, replacing Region Six, which previously held that spot.
The least populated region remains Region Eight with just around 1.55 per cent of the population share, accounting for 13,598 people.
A breakdown of the population by sex showed that of the 878,674 persons, 440,882 were males, accounting for 50.18 per cent, and 437,792 were females, accounting for 49.82 per cent and giving a sex ratio of some 101 males per 100 females.
Meanwhile, the preliminary findings noted that there was a total of 271,946 households countrywide as compared to 204,625 in 2012, with Region Four recording the highest number of households, 112,876.
According to the Ministry of Finance, the census is the most comprehensive source of population and housing data available to any country and is a herculean exercise that offers a clear, evidence-based foundation for policy formulation, resource allocation, and strategic decision-making.
Its findings, the ministry said, support robust economic planning, social policy formulation, infrastructure development, and the equitable allocation of public resources. These preliminary results offer a credible snapshot of Guyana’s demographic and housing profile and will be further complemented by detailed analytical outputs in the final report.