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Guyana: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 5°00′N 58°45′W / 5°N 58.75°W / 5; -58.75
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Referencing Konashen COCA Biodiversity Booklet
 
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{{Short description|Caribbean country in South America}}
{{otheruses}}
{{about|the South American country}} {{Distinguish|French Guiana|Dutch Guiana|Ghana}}
{{pp-move-indef|small=yes}}
{{Pp-move|small=yes}}
{{Infobox Country
{{EngvarB|date=October 2015}}
| conventional_long_name = Co-operative Republic of Guyana
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}
| common_name = Guyana

|image_flag = Flag of Guyana.svg
{{Infobox country
|image_coat = Coa-Guyana.gif
| conventional_long_name = Co-operative Republic of Guyana
|national_motto = "One people, one nation, one destiny"
|national_anthem = "[[Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains]]"
| image_flag = Flag of Guyana.svg
|image_map = Guyana (orthographic projection).svg
| image_coat = Coat of arms of Guyana.svg
|capital = [[Georgetown, Guyana|Georgetown]]
| common_name = Guyana
| national_motto = "One People, One Nation, One Destiny"
|largest_city = capital
| national_anthem = "[[Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains]]"<br />{{center|[[File:National Anthem of Guyana.ogg]]}}
|latd=6 |latm=46 |latNS=N |longd=58 |longm=10 |longEW=W
|capital = [[Georgetown, Guyana|Georgetown]]
| image_map = Guyana (orthographic projection).svg
| map_caption = {{Map caption|location_color=green|region=South America|region_color=grey}}
|official_languages = [[English Language|English]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|6|48|21|N|58|9|3|W|type:city}}
|regional_languages = [[Guyanese Creole]], [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], Spanish, [[Akawaio]], [[Macushi]], [[Wai-Wai]], [[Arawak]], [[Hindi]]
| capital = [[Georgetown, Guyana|Georgetown]]
|Dialect
| largest_city = capital
|ethnic_groups = 43.5% [[East India]]n, 30% [[Black African|Black]], 17% Mixed, 9% [[Amerindian]]
| official_languages = [[English language|English]]
|demonym = Guyanese
| languages_type = [[Vernacular|Vernacular language]]
|government_type = [[Semi-presidential system|Semi-presidential republic]]
|leader_title1 = [[President of Guyana|President]]
| languages = [[Guyanese Creole]]
| regional_languages = {{collapsible list
|leader_name1 = [[Bharrat Jagdeo]]
| titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:left;font-weight:normal;
|leader_title2 = [[List of Prime Ministers of Guyana|Prime Minister]]
| title = 10 indigenous languages
|leader_name2 = [[Sam Hinds]]
| {{hlist
|area_rank = 84th
| [[Kapóng language|Akawaio]]
|area_magnitude = 1 E11
| [[Macushi language|Macushi]]
|area_km2 = 214,999
| [[Waiwai language|Waiwai]]
|area_sq_mi = 83,000 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
| [[Arawak language|Arawak (Lokono)]]
|percent_water = 8.4
| [[Patamona language|Patamona]]
|population_estimate = 772,298<ref name=cia>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/GY.html Guyana 2009 Population Estimate] CIA World Factbook. Retrieved 25 June 2009</ref><sup>1</sup>
| [[Warao language|Warao]]
|population_estimate_rank = 160th
| [[Carib language|Carib]]
|population_estimate_year = 2009
| [[Wapishana language|Wapishana]]
|population_census = 751,223<!--DO NOT CHANGE UNTIL THE NEXT CENSUS WHICH WILL BE IN 2010--><ref>[http://www.statisticsguyana.gov.gy/census.html#popcenfinal Guyana 2002 Census] Bureau of Statistics - Guyana. Retrieved 25 June 2009.</ref>
| [[Pemon language|Pemon (Arekuna)]]
|population_census_year = 2002<!--DO NOT CHANGE UNTIL THE NEXT CENSUS WHICH WILL BE IN 2010-->
| [[Mawayana language|Mawayana]]}}
|population_density_km2 = 3.5
}}
|population_density_sq_mi = 9.1 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
| languages2_type = Other languages
|population_density_rank = 225th
| languages2 = {{collapsible list
|GDP_PPP = $3.082 billion<ref name=imf2>{{cite web|url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2006&ey=2009&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=336&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=26&pr.y=14 |title=Guyana|publisher=International Monetary Fund|accessdate=2009-04-22}}</ref>
| titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:left;font-weight:normal;
|GDP_PPP_year = 2008
| title = 5 languages
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $4,035<ref name=imf2/>
|{{hlist
|GDP_nominal = $1.130 billion<ref name=imf2/>
| [[Caribbean Hindustani#Guyanese Hindustani|Guyanese Hindustani]]
|GDP_nominal_year = 2008
| [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = $1,479<ref name=imf2/>
| [[Dutch language|Dutch]]
|currency = [[Guyanese dollar]]
| [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
|currency_code = GYD
| [[Chinese language|Chinese]]}}
|sovereignty_type = [[Independence]]
}}
|established_event1 = from the [[United Kingdom]]
| ethnic_groups = {{unbulleted list|class=nowrap|
|established_date1 = 26 May 1966
| 39.8% [[Indo-Guyanese|Indian]]
|HDI = {{increase}} 0.725<ref>[http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDI_2008_EN_Tables.pdf Guyana HDI] The United Nations. Retrieved 25 June 2009.</ref>
| {{nowrap|29.3% [[Afro-Guyanese people|African]]}}
|HDI_rank = 110th
| 19.9% [[Multiracial people|Multiracial]]
|HDI_year = 2006
| 10.5% [[Indigenous peoples in Guyana|Indigenous]]
|HDI_category = <font color="#ffcc00">medium</font>
| 0.3% [[White Caribbeans|European]]
|country_code =
| 0.2% [[Chinese Guyanese|Chinese]]
|time_zone =
}}
|utc_offset = -4
| ethnic_groups_year = 2012
|time_zone_DST =
| ethnic_groups_ref = <ref name="statisticsguyana.gov.gy">{{Cite book|url=http://www.statisticsguyana.gov.gy/download.php?file=93|title=Compedium 2: Population Composition|publisher=Bureau of Statistics, Guyana|date=July 2016|access-date=25 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709011240/http://www.statisticsguyana.gov.gy/download.php?file=93|archive-date=9 July 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
|utc_offset_DST =
|drives_on = left
| religion_year = 2020
| religion_ref = <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thearda.com/world-religion/national-profiles?REGION=0&u=102c&u=100c&u=96c|title=National Profiles {{pipe}} World Religion|website=www.thearda.com|access-date=5 December 2023|archive-date=22 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222201128/https://www.thearda.com/world-religion/national-profiles?REGION=0&u=102c&u=100c&u=96c|url-status=live}}</ref>
|cctld = [[.gy]]
| religion = {{vunblist |54.2% [[Christianity]]|31.0% [[Hinduism in Guyana|Hinduism]]|7.5% [[Islam in Guyana|Islam]]|4.2% [[Irreligion|no religion]]|3.1% [[Religion in Guyana|others]]}}
|calling_code = 592
| demonym = Guyanese
|footnote1 = Around one-third of the population (230,000) live in the capital, Georgetown.
| government_type = Unitary [[List of countries by system of government#Parliamentary republics with an executive president|parliamentary republic with an executive presidency]]{{efn |The president is constitutionally obligated to dissolve parliament after a successful no-confidence motion against the government (article 106(6)) and new elections are called within 3 months (article 61).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://parliament.gov.gy/constitution.pdf|title=CONSTITUTION OF THE CO-OPERATIVE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA ACT|last1=Constitution|year=2012|website=Parliament of Guyana|access-date=21 March 2024|archive-date=11 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211164535/https://parliament.gov.gy/constitution.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
| leader_title1 = [[President of Guyana|President]]
| leader_name1 = [[Irfaan Ali]]
| leader_title2 = [[Vice President of Guyana|First Vice President]] & [[Prime Minister of Guyana|Prime Minister]]
| leader_name2 = {{no wrap|[[Mark Phillips (Guyanese politician)|Mark Phillips]]}}
| leader_title3 = [[Vice President of Guyana|Second Vice President]]
| leader_name3 = [[Bharrat Jagdeo]]
| leader_title5 = [[Chief Justice of Guyana|Chief Justice]]
| leader_name5 = [[Roxane George-Wiltshire]]
| leader_title4 = [[List of speakers of the National Assembly of Guyana|Speaker of the National Assembly]]
| leader_name4 = {{nowrap|[[Manzoor Nadir]]}}
| legislature = [[National Assembly (Guyana)|National Assembly]]
| established_event1 = [[Dutch colonisation of the Guianas|Dutch control]]
| established_date1 = 1667–1815
| established_event2 = [[British Guiana]]
| established_date2 = 1831–1966
| established_event3 = [[Independence]] from the [[United Kingdom]] as [[Guyana (1966–1970)|Guyana]]
| established_date3 = 26 May 1966
| established_event4 = [[Republic]]
| established_date4 = 23 February 1970
| established_event5 = Joined [[CARICOM]] at the [[Treaty of Chaguaramas]]
| established_date5 = 1 August 1973
| established_event6 = {{nowrap|[[Constitution of Guyana|Current constitution]]}}
| established_date6 = 6 October 1980
| area_km2 = 214,969<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guyana/|title=Guyana|date=17 February 2024|publisher=Central Intelligence Agency|via=CIA.gov|access-date=23 January 2021|archive-date=7 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107032754/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guyana/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="AH">{{cite web|url=http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/Guyana|title=Guyana – Dictionary definition and pronunciation – Yahoo! Education|publisher=Education.yahoo.com|access-date=30 March 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029190609/http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/Guyana|archive-date=29 October 2013}})</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-19546909|title=Guyana country profile|work=BBC News|date=October 2012|access-date=30 March 2024|archive-date=21 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621013530/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-19546909|url-status=live}}</ref>
| area_rank = 83rd <!-- Area rank should match [[List of countries and dependencies by area]] -->
| area_sq_mi = 83,000 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] -->
| percent_water = 8.4
| population_estimate = 817,607<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/guyana-population/|title=Guyana Population (2024) – Worldometer|website=www.worldometers.info|access-date=25 October 2022|archive-date=5 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205134615/https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/guyana-population/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| population_estimate_year = 2024
| population_estimate_rank = 166th
| population_density_km2 = 3.502
| population_density_rank = 239th
| population_density_sq_mi = 9.071 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] -->
| GDP_PPP = {{increase}} $63.822 billion<ref name="IMFWEO.GY">{{cite web|url=https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2024/April/weo-report?c=336,&s=NGDPRPC,NGDPRPPPPC,NGDPPC,NGDPDPC,&sy=2022&ey=2029&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=1&ssd=1&ssc=1&sic=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1|title=Report for Selected Countries and Subjects: April 2024|publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]]|website=imf.org|access-date=27 June 2024|archive-date=28 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240628022508/https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2024/April/weo-report?c=336,&s=NGDPRPC,NGDPRPPPPC,NGDPPC,NGDPDPC,&sy=2022&ey=2029&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=1&ssd=1&ssc=1&sic=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1|url-status=live}}</ref>
| GDP_PPP_rank = 115th
| GDP_PPP_year = 2024
| GDP_PPP_per_capita = {{increase}} $80,137<ref name="IMFWEO.GY" />
| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 10th
| GDP_nominal = {{increase}} $21.178 billion<ref name="IMFWEO.GY" />
| GDP_nominal_rank = 124th
| GDP_nominal_year = 2024
| GDP_nominal_per_capita = {{increase}} $26,592<ref name="IMFWEO.GY" />
| GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 42nd
| Gini = 44.6 <!--number only-->
| Gini_year = 2007
| Gini_change = decrease<!--increase/decrease/steady-->
| Gini_ref = <ref name="wb-gini">{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/gini-index-coefficient-distribution-of-family-income/country-comparison/|title=Gini Index coefficient|publisher=CIA World Factbook|access-date=4 August 2021|archive-date=17 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717071854/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/gini-index-coefficient-distribution-of-family-income/country-comparison|url-status=live}}</ref>
| HDI = 0.742
| HDI_year = 2022<!-- Please use the year to which the data refers, not the publication year -->
| HDI_change = increase<!-- increase/decrease/steady -->
| HDI_ref = <ref name="UNHDR">{{cite web|url=https://hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/global-report-document/hdr2023-24reporten.pdf|title=Human Development Report 2023/24|language=en|publisher=[[United Nations Development Programme]]|date=13 March 2024|access-date=13 March 2024|archive-date=13 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240313164319/https://hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/global-report-document/hdr2023-24reporten.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
| HDI_rank = 95th
| currency = [[Guyanese dollar]]
| currency_code = GYD
| time_zone = [[Atlantic Standard Time|AST]]
| utc_offset = -4
| date_format = {{nowrap|dd-mm-yyyy}}
| drives_on = left
| calling_code = [[+592]]
| cctld = [[.gy]]
}}
}}


'''Guyana'''{{efn|{{IPAc-en|audio=en-us-Guyana.ogg|ɡ|aɪ|ˈ|ɑː|n|ə}} or {{IPAc-en|audio=en-us-Guyana-2.ogg|ɡ|aɪ|ˈ|æ|n|ə}} {{respell|ghy|A(H)N|ə}}),<ref name=":4">{{cite book|title=Longman pronunciation dictionary|first=John C.|last=Wells|publisher=Longman|location=Harlow, England|year=1990|isbn=978-0-582-05383-0}} entry "Guyana"</ref><ref name="AH"/>}} officially the '''Co-operative Republic of Guyana''',<ref name="ISW">{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/4250.htm|title=Independent States in the World|publisher=state.gov|access-date=24 June 2017|archive-date=9 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100609184448/http://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/4250.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> is a country on the northern coast of [[South America]], part of the historic mainland [[British West Indies]]. [[Georgetown, Guyana|Georgetown]] is the capital of Guyana and is also the country's largest city. Guyana is bordered by the [[Atlantic Ocean]] to the north, [[Brazil]] to the south and southwest, [[Venezuela]] to the west, and [[Suriname]] to the east. With a land area of {{cvt|214969|sqkm|sqmi}},<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guyana/|title=Guyana|date=13 February 2024|access-date=23 January 2021|archive-date=7 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107032754/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guyana/|url-status=live}}</ref> Guyana is the third-smallest [[sovereign state]] by area in mainland South America after [[Uruguay]] and Suriname, and is the [[List of South American countries by population|second-least populous sovereign state in South America]] after Suriname; it is also [[List of countries and dependencies by population density|one of the least densely populated countries on Earth]]. The official language of the country is [[English language|English]], although a large part of the population is bilingual in English and the indigenous languages. It has a wide variety of natural habitats and very high [[biodiversity]]. The country also hosts a part of the [[Amazon rainforest]], the largest [[tropical rainforest]] in the world.
'''Guyana''' ({{pronEng|ɡaɪˈænə}} officially the '''Co-operative Republic of Guyana''' and previously known as [[British Guiana]], is a state on the northern coast of [[South America]] that is culturally part of the [[Anglophone Caribbean]]. It is the only state of the [[Commonwealth of Nations]] on mainland South America. Guyana is bordered to the east by [[Suriname]], to the south and southwest by [[Brazil]], to the west by [[Venezuela]], and on the north by the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. Historically, the region known as "Guiana" (Land of Many Waters) was comprised of the large shield landmass north of the Amazon River and East of the Orinoco River. Five sub-regions were carved out of the landmass by colonial powers in the late 17th and early 18th century; Spanish Guiana (now eastern Venezuela), Portuguese Guiana (now northern Brazil), English Guiana (Guyana), Dutch Guiana (Suriname) and the present French [[overseas department]] of [[French Guiana]].


The region known as "[[the Guianas]]" consists of the [[Guiana Shield|large shield landmass]] north of the [[Amazon River]] and east of the [[Orinoco|Orinoco River]] known as the "land of many waters". Nine [[Indigenous peoples in Guyana|indigenous]] tribes reside in Guyana: the [[Wai-wai people|Wai Wai]], [[Macushi people|Macushi]], [[Patamona people|Patamona]], [[Lokono]], [[Kalina people|Kalina]], [[Wapishana people|Wapishana]], [[Pemon people|Pemon]], [[Akawaio people|Akawaio]] and [[Warao people|Warao]]. Historically dominated by the Lokono and Kalina tribes, Guyana was colonised by the [[Dutch colonial empire|Dutch]] before coming under [[British Empire|British control]] in the late 18th century. It was governed as [[British Guiana]] with a mostly plantation-style economy until the 1950s. It gained independence in 1966 and officially became a republic within the [[Commonwealth of Nations]] in 1970. The legacy of British colonialism is reflected in the country's political administration, lingua franca and diverse population, which includes [[Indo-Guyanese|Indian]], [[Afro-Guyanese|African]], [[Indigenous peoples in Guyana|Indigenous]], [[Chinese Guyanese|Chinese]], [[Portuguese Guyanese|Portuguese]], [[White Caribbeans|other European]], and various multiracial groups.
At 215,000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, Guyana is the third-smallest independent state on the mainland of South America (after [[Uruguay]], Suriname), and the fourth-smallest political entity (which includes French Guiana). Its population is approximately 770,000. It is one of the five non-[[Spanish language|Spanish-speaking]] territories on the continent, along with the countries of Brazil ([[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]) and Suriname ([[Dutch language|Dutch]]), French Guiana ([[French language|French]]) and the [[British Overseas Territory]] of the [[Falkland Islands]] ([[English language|English]]).
==Geography==
{{main|Geography of Guyana}}
Guyana can be divided into four natural regions: a narrow and fertile marshy plain along the Atlantic coast (low coastal plain) where most of the population lives; a white sand belt more inland (hilly sand and clay region), containing most of Guyana's mineral deposits; the dense [[rain forest]]s (Forested Highland Region) in the middle of the country; the grassy flat [[savannah]] in the south; and the larger interior highlands (interior savannah) consisting mostly of mountains that gradually rise to the Brazilian border.
Guyana's main mountains are [[Mount Ayanganna]] (6,699&nbsp;ft (2,042&nbsp;m), [[Monte Caburaí]] (4,806&nbsp;ft (1,465&nbsp;m) and [[Monte Roraima]] (9,301&nbsp;ft (2,835&nbsp;m) &mdash; the highest mountain in Guyana) on the Brazil-Guyana-Venezuela [[tripoint]], part of the [[Pakaraima]] range. Roraima and Guyana's table-top mountains ([[tepui]]s) are said to have been the inspiration for [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]]'s 1912 novel ''[[The Lost World (Arthur Conan Doyle)|The Lost World]]''. There are also many steep escarpments and waterfalls, including [[Kaieteur Falls]]. Between the [[Rupununi River]] and the border with Brazil lies the [[Rupununi savannah]], south of which lie the [[Kanuku Mountains]].


Guyana is the only mainland South American nation in which English is the official language. However, the majority of the population speak [[Guyanese Creole]], an [[English-based creole language]], as a first language. Guyana is part of the [[Commonwealth Caribbean]]. It is part of the mainland [[Caribbean|Caribbean region]] maintaining strong cultural, historical, and political ties with other [[Caribbean]] countries as well as serving as the [[Secretariat (administrative office)|headquarters]] for the [[Caribbean Community]] (CARICOM). In 2008, the country joined the [[Union of South American Nations]] as a founding member.
[[Image:Rupununi Savannah.jpg|thumb|[[Rupununi Savannah]]]]


In 2017, 41% of the population of Guyana lived below the [[poverty line]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mondiplo.com/guyana-no-recuerda-a-walter-rodney|title=" Guyana no recuerda a Walter Rodney " – Le Monde diplomatique en español|website=mondiplo.com|access-date=10 October 2020|archive-date=25 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925220844/https://mondiplo.com/guyana-no-recuerda-a-walter-rodney|url-status=live}}</ref> Guyana's economy has been undergoing a transformation since the discovery of [[crude oil]] in 2015 and commercial drilling in 2019, with its economy growing by 49% in 2020, making it, by some accounts, currently the world's fastest-growing economy. As it is said to have 11 billion barrels in oil reserves,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/exxon-makes-three-new-discoveries-guyana-increases-oil-reserves-2022-04-26/|title=Exxon makes three new oil discoveries in Guyana and boosts reserves|first=Sabrina|last=Valle|newspaper=Reuters|date=26 April 2022|via=www.reuters.com|access-date=2 November 2022|archive-date=25 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221225120501/https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/exxon-makes-three-new-discoveries-guyana-increases-oil-reserves-2022-04-26/|url-status=live}}</ref> the country is set to become one of the largest per capita oil producers in the world by 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/the-five-fastest-growing-economies-in-the-world-2020-10-16|title=The Five Fastest Growing Economies In The World|publisher=NASDAQ|last=Bajpai|first=Prableen|date=16 October 2020|access-date=30 December 2022|archive-date=7 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207063432/https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/the-five-fastest-growing-economies-in-the-world-2020-10-16|url-status=live}}</ref> The discovery of over 11 billion barrels of oil reserves off the coast of Guyana since 2017 is the largest addition to [[Oil and gas reserves and resource quantification|global oil reserves]] since the 1970s.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidblackmon/2022/06/07/why-oil-developments-offshore-guyana-have-global-implications/|title=Why The Oil Bonanza Offshore Guyana Has Global Implications|first=David|last=Blackmon|website=Forbes|access-date=2 November 2022|archive-date=2 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221102022946/https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidblackmon/2022/06/07/why-oil-developments-offshore-guyana-have-global-implications/|url-status=live}}</ref> Guyana is now ranked as having the fourth-highest GDP per capita in the Americas after the [[United States]], [[Canada]], and [[The Bahamas]], and has been one of the countries. According to the [[World Bank]] in 2023, very significant poverty still exists and the country faces significant risks in structurally managing its growth.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Macro Poverty Outlook for Guyana : April 2023|url=https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/099857004112325933/IDU0b505bcfa01b27043f009eb009ad04e67422d|access-date=2023-11-27|website=World Bank|language=en|archive-date=2 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231202100312/https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/099857004112325933/idu0b505bcfa01b27043f009eb009ad04e67422d|url-status=live}}</ref>
The three main rivers are the [[Essequibo River|Essequibo]], the [[Demerara River|Demerara]], and the [[Berbice River|Berbice]]. The [[Corentyne River]] forms the border with Suriname. At the mouth of the Essequibo are several large islands. The 90-mile (145&nbsp;km) [[Shell Beach, Guyana|Shell Beach]] lies along the northwest coast. Guyana is a major breeding area for [[sea turtle]]s (mainly [[Leatherback Sea Turtle|Leatherbacks]]) and other wildlife.


==Etymology==
The local [[climate]] is [[tropical climate|tropical]] and generally hot and humid, though moderated by northeast [[trade winds]] along the coast. There are two rainy seasons, the first from May to mid-August, the second from mid-November to mid-January.
The name "Guyana" derives from ''[[The Guianas|Guiana]]'', an earlier name for a larger region that included the areas now called Guyana ([[British Guyana]]), [[Suriname]] ([[Dutch colonisation of the Guianas|Dutch Guiana]]), [[French Guiana]], the [[Guayana Region, Venezuela|Guayana Region]] in [[Venezuela]] ([[Guayana Province|Spanish Guyana]]), and [[Amapá]] in [[Brazil]] ([[Amapá|Portuguese Guiana]]). According to the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', the name "Guyana" comes from an indigenous Amerindian language and means "land of many waters".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/Guyana|title=Guyana|publisher=Oxford Dictionaries|access-date=9 May 2015|archive-date=7 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707214123/http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/Guyana|url-status=dead}}</ref> The word ''Co‑operative'' in the official name refers to [[Socialism in liberal democratic constitutions#Guyana|co-operative socialism]].


== History ==
It has one of the largest unspoiled [[rainforest]]s in South America, some parts of which are almost inaccessible by humans. The rich natural history of Guyana was described by early explorers [[Walter Raleigh|Sir Walter Raleigh]] and [[Charles Waterton]] and later by naturalists Sir [[David Attenborough]] and [[Gerald Durrell]]. In 2008, the [[BBC]] ran a three-part programme called ''Lost Land of the Jaguar'' which highlighted the huge diversity of wildlife, including undiscovered species and rare species such as the [[giant otter]] and [[harpy eagle]].
{{Main|History of Guyana}}
{{stack|[[File:Essequibo River in 1826 Río Esequibo en 1826 Gran Colombia and British Guiana.jpg|thumb|A map of Dutch and British Guiana in 1826]]}}


===Before colonisation===
===Regions and neighborhood councils===
What is now Guyana has been inhabited for millennia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://caribbean.loopnews.com/content/discoverguyana-indigenous-peoples-guyana|title=#DiscoverGuyana: Indigenous Peoples in Guyana {{pipe}} Loop Caribbean News|website=Loop News|access-date=18 September 2023|archive-date=28 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240628023001/https://caribbean.loopnews.com/content/discoverguyana-indigenous-peoples-guyana|url-status=live}}</ref> Nine [[Indigenous peoples in Guyana|indigenous]] tribes reside in Guyana: the [[Wai-wai people|Wai Wai]], [[Macushi people|Macushi]], [[Patamona people|Patamona]], [[Lokono]], [[Kalina people|Kalina]], [[Wapishana people|Wapishana]], [[Pemon people|Pemon]], [[Akawaio people|Akawaio]], and [[Warao people|Warao]]. Many of these peoples practised [[shifting agriculture]] alongside [[hunting]]. Historians speculate that the Arawaks and Caribs originated in the South American hinterland and migrated northward, first to the present-day Guianas and then to the Caribbean islands. The Arawak, mainly cultivators, hunters, and fishermen, migrated to the Caribbean islands before the Carib and settled throughout the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amerindian.gov.gy/discover/tribes/index.html|title=Ministry of Amerindian Affairs – Georgetown, Guyana|publisher=Amerindian.gov.gy|access-date=30 March 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602173603/http://www.amerindian.gov.gy/discover/tribes/index.html|archive-date=2 June 2013}}</ref>
{{main|Regions of Guyana|Neighborhood Councils of Guyana}}
[[Image:Guyana regions numbered (GINA).png|thumb|Regions of Guyana]]
Guyana is divided into 10 regions:<ref>[http://www.statisticsguyana.gov.gy/pubs/Chapter3_Population_Redistribution_Internal_Migration.pdf Bureau of Statistics - Guyana], CHAPTER III: POPULATION REDISTRIBUTION AND INTERNAL MIGRATION, Table 3.4: Population Density, Guyana: 1980 - 2002</ref><ref>[http://gina.gov.gy/natprofile/gnprof.html Guyana - Government Information Agency], National Profile</ref>
{| class=wikitable
|-bgcolor="#BBBBBB"
! No
! Region
! Area km²
! Population
! Population<br />per km²
|-
| align=right | 1 || [[Barima-Waini]] || 20,339 || 24,275 || 1.2
|-
| align=right | 2 || |[[Pomeroon-Supenaam]] || 6,195 || 49,253 || 8.0
|-
| align=right | 3 || [[Essequibo Islands-West Demerara]] || 2,232 || 103,061 || 46.2
|-
| align=right | 4 || [[Demerara-Mahaica]] || 1,843 || 310,320 || 168.4
|-
| align=right | 5 || [[Mahaica-Berbice]] || 3,755 || 52,428 || 14.0
|-
| align=right | 6 || [[East Berbice-Corentyne]] || 36,234 || 123,695 || 3.4
|-
| align=right | 7 || [[Cuyuni-Mazaruni]] || 47,213 || 17,597 || 0.3
|-
| align=right | 8 || [[Potaro-Siparuni]] || 20,051 || 10,095 || 0.5
|-
| align=right | 9 || [[Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo]] || 57,750 || 19,387 || 1.3
|-
| align=right | 10 || [[Upper Demerara-Berbice]] || 19,387 || 41,112 || 2.1
|-
| || '''Guyana''' || align=left | '''214,999''' || align=left | '''751,223''' || align=left |'''3.49'''
|}


===Colonial period===
The regions are divided into 27 neighborhood councils.
Although [[Christopher Columbus]] was the first European to sight Guyana during his third voyage (in 1498), and Sir [[Walter Raleigh]] wrote an account in 1596, the [[Dutch Republic|Dutch]] were the first Europeans to establish colonies: [[Pomeroon (colony)|Pomeroon]] (1581), [[Essequibo (colony)|Essequibo]] (1616), [[Berbice]] (1627), and [[Demerara]] (1752). After France invaded the Dutch Republic ([[Batavian Republic|1795]]), the [[Kingdom of Great Britain|British]] assumed control in 1796, with the Dutch and British signing the London Convention in 1814 that ceded [[Demerara-Essequibo]] and Berbice to Britain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.san.beck.org/13-1a-SouthAmerica.html#a11|title=South America 1744–1817 by Sanderson Beck|access-date=24 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170101025206/http://www.san.beck.org/13-1a-SouthAmerica.html#a11|archive-date=1 January 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>


In 1831, the united colonies of Demerara-Essequibo and separate colony of Berbice together became a single British colony known as [[British Guiana]].{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
===Boundary disputes===
{{seealso|Schomburgk Line}}


{{stack|[[File:Boundary lines of British Guiana 1896.jpg|thumb|Map of [[British Guiana]] from 1896]]}}
Guyana was in [[territorial dispute|border dispute]]s with both Suriname, which claimed the land east of the [[Corantijn River|Corentyne River]] in southeastern Guyana, and Venezuela which claims the land west of the Essequibo River as part of [[Guayana Esequiba]]. <ref>[http://www.guyanachronicle.com/ARCHIVES/archive%2017-06-07.html#Anchor----------24128 guyanachronicle.com - "Tribunal decision tentatively set for August"]</ref><ref>[http://landofsixpeoples.com/news701/nk0702053.html Guyana to experience ‘massive' oil exploration this year]</ref><ref>[http://www.caribbean360.com/News/Business/Stories/2007/04/27/NEWS0000004303.html News in the Caribbean - Caribbean360.com]</ref> A part of the territorial dispute with Suriname was arbitrated by the [[United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea]], and a ruling was announced in September 21, 2007. The ruling concerning the [[Caribbean Sea]] north of both nations found both parties violated treaty obligations and declined to order any compensation to either party. <ref>[http://www.pca-cpa.org/showpage.asp?pag_id=1147 official site of the Permanent Court of Arbitration]</ref>
Since its independence in 1824, Venezuela has claimed the area of land to the west of the [[Essequibo River]]. [[Simón Bolívar]] wrote to the British government warning against the Berbice and Demerara settlers settling on land which the Venezuelans, as assumed heirs of Spanish claims on the area dating to the 16th century, claimed was theirs. In 1899, an international tribunal ruled that the land belonged to Great Britain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://legal.un.org/riaa/cases/vol_XXVIII/331-340.pdf|title=Award regarding the Boundary between the Colony of British Guiana and the United States of Venezuela, decision of 3 October 1899<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date=2 February 2020|archive-date=30 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730180322/https://legal.un.org/riaa/cases/vol_XXVIII/331-340.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> From the [[Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814]], the British inherited [[Dutch colonisation of the Guianas|Dutch territory]] which included lands between the [[Orinoco river|Orinoco]] and [[Courantyne River|Courantyne]] rivers. Dutch sovereignty over these settlements was recognised in 1648 by Spain with the [[Peace of Münster]], which stated under Article 5 that the Dutch would retain all of the '''lordships, cities, castles, fortresses, trades and lands in the... West Indies'''<ref name="guyanachronicle">{{cite news|date=2020-12-19|title=Facts and Timelines of Guyana, Venezuela Controversy.|url=https://guyanachronicle.com/2020/12/19/facts-and-timelines-of-guyana-venezuela-controversy/|work=Guyana Chronicle.|access-date=2023-11-29|archive-date=2 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231202154930/https://guyanachronicle.com/2020/12/19/facts-and-timelines-of-guyana-venezuela-controversy/|url-status=live}}</ref> under their possession at the time. However, the treaty did not specify the boundary between [[Spanish Guiana]] and [[Dutch colonisation of the Guianas|Dutch Guiana]].


===Independence===
When the British surveyed British Guiana in 1840, they included the entire [[Cuyuni River]] basin within the colony. Venezuela did not agree with this as it claimed all lands west of the Essequibo River. In 1898, at Venezuela's request, an international [[Arbitral tribunal|arbitration tribunal]] was convened, and in 1899 they issued an award giving about 94% of the disputed territory to British Guiana. Venezuela and [[Great Britain]] accepted the award by treaty in 1905, but Venezuela raised the issue again at the time of Guyana's independence and continues to claim Guayana Esequiba.<ref name="Ishmael">[http://www.guyana.org/features/trail_diplomacy.html Ishmael, Odeen (1998, rev. 2006) "The Trail Of Diplomacy: A Documentary History of the Guyana-Venezuela Border Issue"] Dr. Ishmael was Ambassador of Guyana to Venezuela when this was written.</ref>
Guyana achieved independence from the United Kingdom as a dominion on 26 May 1966 and became a republic on 23 February 1970, remaining a member of the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hope |first=Kempe Ronald |date=1985 |title=Electoral politics and political development in post-independence Guyana |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0261379485900319 |journal=Electoral Studies |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=57–68 |doi=10.1016/0261-3794(85)90031-9 |issn=0261-3794}}</ref> Shortly after independence, [[Venezuela]] began to take diplomatic, economic, and military action against Guyana to enforce its [[Guyana–Venezuela territorial dispute|territorial claim to the Essequibo region]].<ref name=":56">{{Cite journal|last=Ince|first=Basil A.|date=1970|title=The Venezuela-Guyana Boundary Dispute in the United Nations|journal=Caribbean Studies|volume=9|issue=4|pages=5–26}}</ref> Five months after Guyana's independence, in October 1966, Venezuelan troops crossed the international border and seized [[Ankoko Island]] which has been under occupation ever since.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://guyanachronicle.com/2018/04/06/guyana-wants-icj-to-order-venezuela-off-ankoko|title=Guyana wants ICJ to order Venezuela off Ankoko|date=6 April 2018|website=The Guyana Chronicle|access-date=2020-01-17}}</ref> Venezuelan troops quickly constructed military installations and an airstrip.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Latin America and Caribbean Contemporary Record: 1982-1983, Volume 2|last=Hopkins|first=Jack W.|publisher=Holmes & Meier Publishers|year=1984|isbn=9780841909618}}</ref>
Venezuela calls this region "Zona en Reclamación" (Reclamation Zone), and Venezuelan maps of the national territory routinely include it, drawing it in with dashed lines. <ref>http://www.a-venezuela.com/mapas/map/html/politico.html</ref>


Following independence, [[Forbes Burnham]] of the [[People's National Congress Reform]] rose to power, quickly becoming a repressive authoritarian leader.<ref name="bulkan2021">{{cite journal|last1=Bulkan|first1=Arif|last2=Trotz|first2=Alissa|date=2021|title=Oil Fuels Guyana's Internecine Conflict|url=https://online.ucpress.edu/currenthistory/article/120/823/71/115917/Oil-Fuels-Guyana-s-Internecine-Conflict|journal=[[Current History]]|volume=120|issue=823|pages=71–77|doi=10.1525/curh.2021.120.823.71|access-date=12 July 2023|doi-access=free|archive-date=13 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230713001608/https://online.ucpress.edu/currenthistory/article/120/823/71/115917/Oil-Fuels-Guyana-s-Internecine-Conflict|url-status=live|issn=0011-3530}}</ref> Politics became divided on race with the Afro-Guyanese supporting Burnham's [[People's National Congress Reform|People's National Congress]] and the Indo-Guyanese supporting [[Cheddi Jagan|Jagan]]'s [[People's Progressive Party/Civic|People's Progressive Party]], in what became known as ''aapan [[Jāti|jaat]]'' politics, loosely translated from [[Caribbean Hindustani#Guyanese Hindustani|Guyanese Hindustani]] as "for your own kind".
Specific small disputed areas involving Guyana are [[Ankoko Island]] with Venezuela; Corentyne River<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/guyana/guyana.php?news_id=11740&start=120&category_id=13 |title=Guyana and Suriname border dispute continues despite UN findings |accessdate=2008-12-15 |first=Oscar |last=Ramjeet |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=[[2008-10-28]] |year=2008 |month=10 |format= |work=Caribbean Net News |pages= |language=English |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> with Suriname; and [[East Berbice-Corentyne|New River Triangle]]<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.stabroeknews.com/letters/there-is-no-agreement-recognizing-suriname%e2%80%99s-sovereignty-over-the-corentyne-river/ |title=There is no agreement recognizing Suriname’s sovereignty over the Corentyne River |accessdate=2008-12-15 |first=Carolyn |last=Rodrigues-Birkett |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=[[2008-10-24]] |year=2008 |month=10 |format= |work=Stabroek Newspaper |pages= |language=English |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> with Suriname.


Guyana was elected three times as a member of the [[UN Security Council]] in 1975–76, 1982–83 and 2024–25.
=== Environment and biodiversity ===
{{see also|Category:Flora of Guyana|Category:Fauna of Guyana}}
[[Image:Ara macao - two at Lowry Park Zoo.jpg|thumb|left|Scarlet Macaws]]
[[Image:Guyana BMNG.png|thumb|Satellite image of Guyana 2004.]]


In 1978, a total of 918 people died at the [[Jonestown|Jonestown mass murder-suicide]] led by American cult leader [[Jim Jones]] at a remote settlement in northwest Guyana.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Inside the Jonestown massacre - CNN.com|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/11/12/jonestown.factsheet/index.html|access-date=2022-09-27|website=edition.cnn.com|archive-date=27 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927223540/https://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/11/12/jonestown.factsheet/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
The following habitats have been categorized for Guyana: coastal, marine, littoral, estuarine palustrine, mangrove, riverine, lacustrine, swamp, savanna, white sand forest, brown sand forest, montane, cloud forest, moist lowland and dry evergreen scrub forests (NBAP, 1999). About 14 areas of biological interest have been identified as possible hotspots for a National Protected Area System.


Former U.S. President [[Jimmy Carter]] visited Guyana to lobby for the resumption of free elections. On 5 October 1992, a new National Assembly and regional councils were elected in the first Guyanese election since 1964 to be internationally recognised as free and fair. [[Cheddi Jagan]] of the PPP was elected and sworn in as president on 9 October 1992.<ref name="ciawfguy">{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guyana/|title=Guyana|website=The World Factbook|publisher=[[Central Intelligence Agency]]|access-date=12 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619025448/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guyana/|archive-date=19 June 2023|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="bulkan2021" /> This reversed the monopoly that Afro-Guyanese traditionally had over Guyanese politics. The poll was marred by violence however.
More than 80% of Guyana is still covered by forests, ranging from dry evergreen and seasonal forests to montane and lowland evergreen rain forests. These forests are home to more than a thousand species of trees. Guyana's tropical climate, unique geology, and relatively pristine ecosystems support extensive areas of species-rich rain forests and natural habitats with high levels of [[endemism]]. Approximately eight thousand species of plants occur in Guyana, half of which are found nowhere else.


In May 2008, President [[Bharrat Jagdeo]] was a signatory to the [[UNASUR Constitutive Treaty]] of the Union of South American Nations. The Guyanese government officially ratified the treaty in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://guyanachronicle.com/2016/12/08/unasur-indifference-to-guyana/|title=UNASUR indifference to Guyana|website=Guyana Chronicle|date=9 December 2016|access-date=2 April 2021|archive-date=17 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417173233/https://guyanachronicle.com/2016/12/08/unasur-indifference-to-guyana/|url-status=live}}</ref>
Guyana is one of the countries with the highest [[biodiversity]] in the world. Guyana, with 1,168 [[vertebrate]] species, 1,600 [[bird]] species, boasts one of the richest mammalian fauna assemblages of any comparably sized area in the world. The [[Guiana Shield]] region is little known and extremely rich biologically. Unlike other areas of South America, over 70% of the natural habitat remains pristine.


In March 2020, President [[David A. Granger]] narrowly lost the [[2020 Guyanese general election|snap elections]], following Granger's government loss of a vote of no confidence back in 2018. Granger refused to accept the results, but eventually five months later, [[Irfaan Ali]] of the [[People's Progressive Party/Civic]] was sworn in as the new president because of allegations of fraud and irregularities.<ref>{{cite news|title=Guyana swears in Irfaan Ali as president after long stand-off|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-53637085|work=BBC News|date=3 August 2020|access-date=2 April 2021|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803201857/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-53637085|url-status=live}}</ref>
The rich natural history of British Guiana was described by early explorers [[Walter Raleigh|Sir Walter Raleigh]] and [[Charles Waterton]] and later by naturalists Sir [[David Attenborough]] and [[Gerald Durrell]].


The [[National Trust of Guyana]] has designated nine historic sites as national monuments.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}


A [[2023 Venezuelan referendum|referendum in neighbouring Venezuela]] was held in December 2023 on the annexation of the [[Guyana–Venezuela territorial dispute|disputed Essequibo region]], which lies entirely in the territory of Guyana.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2023-10-20|title=Venezuela sets referendum date on territory dispute with Guyana|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/venezuela-sets-referendum-date-territory-dispute-with-guyana-2023-10-20/|access-date=2023-11-24|archive-date=7 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107045924/https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/venezuela-sets-referendum-date-territory-dispute-with-guyana-2023-10-20/|url-status=live}}</ref> The vote passed with a 95% majority, but with a low turnout, with analysts stating Maduro's government had falsified the results.<ref>{{citation|author=Luke Taylor|title=Maduro vote to claim Guyana's territory backfires as Venezuelans stay home|date=4 December 2023|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/04/maduro-venezuela-guyana-essequibo-referendum-vote-turnout|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=5 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205053546/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/04/maduro-venezuela-guyana-essequibo-referendum-vote-turnout|url-status=live|archive-date=5 December 2023}}</ref> This came at the same time as a [[2023 Guyana–Venezuela crisis|Venezuelan military buildup]] on the Guyanese border, sparking concerns of war between the two states.
In February 2004, the Government of Guyana issued a title to more than 1 million acres of land in the Konashen Indigenous District declaring this land as the Konashen Community-Owned Conservation Area (COCA), to be managed by the [[Wai Wai]]. In doing so Guyana created the world's largest Community-Owned Conservation Area.<ref>[http://www.conservation.org/Documents/CI_Konashen_COCA_Biodiversity_Booklet.pdf Konashen COCA Biodiversity Booklet]</ref>


== Geography ==
This important event followed a request made by the Wai Wai community to the government of Guyana and Conservation International Guyana (CIG) for assistance in developing a sustainable plan for their lands in Konashen. The three parties signed a Memorandum of Cooperation which outlines a plan for sustainable use of the Konashen COCA’s biological resources, identifies threats to the area’s biodiversity, and helps develop projects to increase awareness of the COCA as well as generate the income necessary to maintain its protected status.
{{Main|Geography of Guyana}}
[[File:GuyanaKaieteurFalls2004.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Kaieteur Falls]] is the world's largest single-drop waterfall by volume.]]
[[File:Rupununi Savannah.jpg|thumb|[[Rupununi Savannah]]]]
[[File:Amazon CIAT (5).jpg|thumb|upright|220px|A large part of Guyana's territory is covered by the [[Amazon rainforest]], the world's largest and most [[biodiversity|biodiverse]] [[tropical rainforest]].]]


The territory controlled by Guyana lies between latitudes [[1st parallel north|1°]] and [[9th parallel north|9°N]], and longitudes [[56th meridian west|56°]] and [[62nd meridian west|62°W]]; it is one of the world's most sparsely populated countries.
The Konashen Indigenous District of Southern Guyana houses the headwaters of the Essequibo River, Guyana’s principal water source, and drains the Kassikaityu, Kamoa, Sipu and Chodikar rivers. Southern Guyana is host to some of the most pristine expanses of evergreen forests in the northern part of South America. Most of the forests found here are tall, evergreen hill-land and lower montane forests, with large expanses of flooded forest along major rivers. Thanks to the very low human population density of the area, most of these forests are still intact. The Smithsonian Institution has identified nearly 2,700 species of plants from this region, representing 239 distinct families, and there are certainly additional species still to be recorded.


The country can be divided into five natural regions: a narrow and fertile marshy plain along the Atlantic coast (low coastal plain) where most of the population lives; a white sand belt further inland (hilly sand and clay region), containing most of Guyana's mineral deposits; the dense [[rain forest]]s (Forested Highland Region) in the southern part of the country; the drier [[savannah]] areas in the south-west; and the smallest interior lowlands (interior savannah) consisting mostly of mountains that gradually rise to the Brazilian border.
Such incredible diversity of plants supports even more impressive diversity of animal life, recently documented by a biological survey organized by Conservation International. The clean, unpolluted waters of the [[Essequibo]] watershed support a remarkable diversity of fish and aquatic invertebrates, and are home to giant river otters, capybaras, and several species of caimans. On land, large mammals, such as jaguars, tapirs, bush dogs, giant anteaters, and saki monkeys are still common. Over 400 species of birds have been reported from the region, and the reptile and amphibian faunas are similarly rich. The Konashen COCA forests are also home to countless species of insects, arachnids, and other invertebrates, many of which are still undiscovered and unnamed.


Some of Guyana's highest mountains are [[Mount Ayanganna]] ({{cvt|2042|m|ft|0|disp=or}}), [[Monte Caburaí]] ({{cvt|1465|m|ft|0|disp=or}}) and [[Mount Roraima]] ({{cvt|2772|m|ft|0|disp=or}} – the highest mountain in Guyana) on the Brazil-Guyana-Venezuela [[tripoint]] border, part of the [[Pakaraima]] range. Mount Roraima and Guyana's table-top mountains ([[tepui]]s) are said to have been the inspiration for [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]]'s 1912 novel ''[[The Lost World (Arthur Conan Doyle)|The Lost World]]''. There are also many volcanic [[escarpment]]s and waterfalls, including [[Kaieteur Falls]] which is believed to be the largest single-drop waterfall in the world by volume.<ref name=independent>{{cite news|title=South America: Do the continental: The best of what's new; spectacular waterfalls, forgotten cities, pre-Inca trails|work=The Independent|date=14 November 2004|page=Features, page 3|first=Mark|last=Rowe}}</ref> North of the [[Rupununi River]] lies the [[Rupununi savannah]], south of which lie the [[Kanuku Mountains]].
The Konashen COCA is relatively unique in that it contains a high level of biological diversity and richness that remains in nearly pristine condition; such places have become rare on earth. This fact has given rise to various non-exploitative, environmentally sustainable industries such as ecotourism, succesfully capitalizing on the biological wealth of the Konashen COCA with comparatively little enduring impact.


The four longest rivers are the Essequibo at {{cvt|1010|km|mi|0}} long, the [[Courentyne River]] at {{cvt|724|km|mi|0}}, the [[Berbice River|Berbice]] at {{cvt|595|km|mi|0}}, and the [[Demerara River|Demerara]] at {{cvt|346|km|mi|0}}. The Courentyne river forms the border with Suriname. At the mouth of the Essequibo are several large islands, including the {{cvt|145|km|mi|0}} wide [[Shell Beach, Guyana|Shell Beach]] along the northwest coast, which is also a major breeding area for [[sea turtle]]s (mainly [[leatherback sea turtle|leatherbacks]]) and other wildlife.
=== World Heritage Site status ===
Many countries interested in the conservation and protection of natural and cultural heritage sites of the world accede to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage that was adopted by [[UNESCO]] in 1972. Guyana signed the treaty in 1977, the first Caribbean State Party to do so. In the mid-1990s, Guyana seriously began the process of selecting sites for World Heritage nomination, and three sites were considered: [[Kaieteur National Park]], [[Shell Beach, Guyana|Shell Beach]] and Historic Georgetown. By 1997, work on Kaieteur National Park was started, and in 1998 work on Historic Georgetown was begun. To date, however, Guyana has not made a successful nomination.


The climate is [[tropical climate|tropical]] and generally hot and humid, though moderated by northeast [[trade winds]] along the coast. There are two rainy seasons, the first from May to mid-August, the second from mid-November to mid-January.
[[Image:Leopard zoo.jpg|thumb|right|Among many other mammals, Guyanese jungles are home to the [[jaguar]].]]


Guyana has one of the largest unspoiled [[rainforest]]s in South America, some parts of which are almost inaccessible by humans. The rich natural history of Guyana was described by early explorers [[Walter Raleigh|Sir Walter Raleigh]] and [[Charles Waterton]] and later by naturalists Sir [[David Attenborough]] and [[Gerald Durrell]]. In 2008, the [[BBC]] broadcast a three-part programme called ''Lost Land of the Jaguar'' which highlighted the huge diversity of wildlife, including undiscovered species and rare species such as the [[giant otter]] and [[harpy eagle]].
Guyana submitted the Kaieteur National Park, including the [[Kaieteur Falls]], to UNESCO as its first World Heritage Site nomination. The proposed area and surrounds have some of Guyana's most diversified life zones with one of the highest levels of endemic species found anywhere in South America. The Kaieteur Falls is the most spectacular feature of the park, falling a distance of 226&nbsp;metres. The nomination of Kaieteur Park as a World Heritage Site was not successful, primarily because the area was seen by the evaluators as being too small, especially when compared with the Central Suriname Nature Reserve that had just been nominated as a World Heritage Site (2000). The dossier was thus returned to Guyana for revision.


===Biodiversity and conservation===
Guyana continues in its bid for a World Heritage Site. Work continues, after a period of hiatus, on the nomination dossier for Historic Georgetown. A Tentative List indicating an intention to nominate Historic Georgetown was submitted to UNESCO in December 2004. There is now a small committee put together by the Guyana National Commission for UNESCO to complete the nomination dossier and the management plan for the site. In April 2005, two Dutch experts in conservation spent two weeks in Georgetown supervising architecture staff and students of the [[University of Guyana]] in a historic building survey of the selected area. This is part of the data collection for the nomination dossier.
[[File:Guyana BMNG.png|thumb|upright|Satellite image of Guyana from 2004]]
{{See also|Fauna of Guyana|List of protected areas of Guyana|Category:Flora of Guyana|Category:Fauna of Guyana|Category:Orchids of Guyana}}
Guyana has one of the highest levels of [[biodiversity]] in the world. It is home to more than 225 [[List of mammals of Guyana|species of mammals]], 900 [[List of birds of Guyana|species of birds]], 880 species of reptiles, and more than 6,500 different species of plants.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Tavani|first=Claudia|date=14 August 2018|title=The Most Amazing Wildlife in Guyana|url=https://myadventuresacrosstheworld.com/wildlife-in-guyana/|access-date=3 September 2019|website=My Adventures Across the World|language=en-US|archive-date=3 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903034604/https://myadventuresacrosstheworld.com/wildlife-in-guyana/|url-status=live}}</ref> Among these wildlife categories the most notably famous are the [[Arapaima]], which is the world's largest scaled freshwater fish; the [[giant anteater]], the largest anteater; the [[giant otter]], the world's largest and rarest river otter; and the [[Guianan cock-of-the-rock]] bird (''Rupicola rupicola'').<ref>Attenborough, S. 1998 BBC. ''The Life of Birds''. p. 211. {{ISBN|0563-38792-0}}</ref>


The following habitats have been categorised for Guyana: coastal, marine, littoral, estuarine, palustrine, mangrove, riverine, lacustrine, swamp, savanna, white sand forest, brown sand forest, montane, cloud forest, moist lowland and dry evergreen scrub forests (NBAP, 1999). About 14 areas of biological interest have been identified as possible hotspots for a National Protected Area System.
Meanwhile, as a result of the Kaieteur National Park being considered too small, there is a proposal to prepare a nomination for a Cluster Site that will include the Kaieteur National Park, the [[Iwokrama Forest]] and the [[Kanuku Mountains]]. The Iwokrama Rain Forest, an area rich in biological diversity, has been described by Major General (Retired) Joseph Singh as “a flagship project for conservation.” The Kanuku Mountains area is in a pristine state and is home to more than four hundred species of birds and other animals. <!--Unencyclopedic?: These three sites together, we feel, more than adequately meet the requirements of exceptional natural beauty and biological diversity, as well as the requirements of size and integrity, for a successful nomination.-->


More than 80% of Guyana is still covered by forests, which also contain the world's rarest [[orchids]], ranging from dry evergreen and seasonal forests to montane and lowland evergreen rain forests. These forests are home to more than a thousand species of trees. Guyana's tropical climate, unique geology, and relatively undisturbed ecosystems support extensive areas of species-rich rain forests and natural habitats with high levels of [[endemism]]. There are about 8000 species of plants in Guyana, half of which are found nowhere else.
There is much work to be done for the successful nomination of these sites to the World Heritage List. The state, the private sector and the ordinary Guyanese citizens each have a role to play in this process and in the later protection of the sites. Inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage will open Guyana to more serious tourists thereby assisting in its economic development.


The country is home to six ecoregions: [[Guayanan Highlands moist forests]], [[Guianan moist forests]], [[Orinoco Delta swamp forests]], [[Tepuis]], [[Guianan savanna]], and [[Guianan mangroves]].<ref name="DinersteinOlson2017">{{cite journal|last1=Dinerstein|first1=Eric|last2=Olson|first2=David|last3=Joshi|first3=Anup|last4=Vynne|first4=Carly|last5=Burgess|first5=Neil D.|last6=Wikramanayake|first6=Eric|last7=Hahn|first7=Nathan|last8=Palminteri|first8=Suzanne|last9=Hedao|first9=Prashant|last10=Noss|first10=Reed|last11=Hansen|first11=Matt|last12=Locke|first12=Harvey|last13=Ellis|first13=Erle C|last14=Jones|first14=Benjamin|last15=Barber|first15=Charles Victor|last16=Hayes|first16=Randy|last17=Kormos|first17=Cyril|last18=Martin|first18=Vance|last19=Crist|first19=Eileen|last20=Sechrest|first20=Wes|last21=Price|first21=Lori|last22=Baillie|first22=Jonathan E. M.|last23=Weeden|first23=Don|last24=Suckling|first24=Kierán|last25=Davis|first25=Crystal|last26=Sizer|first26=Nigel|last27=Moore|first27=Rebecca|last28=Thau|first28=David|last29=Birch|first29=Tanya|last30=Potapov|first30=Peter|last31=Turubanova|first31=Svetlana|last32=Tyukavina|first32=Alexandra|last33=de Souza|first33=Nadia|last34=Pintea|first34=Lilian|last35=Brito|first35=José C.|last36=Llewellyn|first36=Othman A.|last37=Miller|first37=Anthony G.|last38=Patzelt|first38=Annette|last39=Ghazanfar|first39=Shahina A.|last40=Timberlake|first40=Jonathan|last41=Klöser|first41=Heinz|last42=Shennan-Farpón|first42=Yara|last43=Kindt|first43=Roeland|last44=Lillesø|first44=Jens-Peter Barnekow|last45=van Breugel|first45=Paulo|last46=Graudal|first46=Lars|last47=Voge|first47=Maianna|last48=Al-Shammari|first48=Khalaf F.|last49=Saleem|first49=Muhammad|title=An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm|journal=BioScience|volume=67|issue=6|year=2017|pages=534–545|issn=0006-3568|doi=10.1093/biosci/bix014|pmid=28608869|pmc=5451287}}</ref> The Guiana Shield region is little known and extremely rich biologically. Unlike other areas of South America, over 70% of the natural habitat remains pristine. [[File:Golden frog Kaieteur (2).jpg|thumb|''[[Anomaloglossus beebei]]'' (Kaieteur), specific to the Guianas]]
Guyana exhibits two of the [[World Wildlife Fund]]'s [[Global 200]] eco-regions most crucial to the conservation of global biodiversity, Guianan moist forests and [[Guiana Highlands]] moist forests and is home to several endemic species including the tropical hardwood [[Chlorocardium|Greenheart]] (''Chlorocardium rodiei'').


The rich natural history of British Guiana was described by early explorers Sir [[Walter Raleigh]] and [[Charles Waterton]] and later by naturalists Sir [[David Attenborough]] and [[Gerald Durrell]]. Southern Guyana is host to some of the most pristine expanses of evergreen forests in the northern part of South America. Most of the forests found are tall, evergreen hill-land and lower montane forests, with large expanses of flooded forest along major rivers. Thanks to the very low human population density of the area, most of these forests are still intact.
===Landmarks ===
[[Image:St georges.jpg|thumb|right|280px|[[St. George's Anglican Cathedral]]]]
; [[St. George's Anglican Cathedral]] : One of the tallest wooden structures in the world and the second tallest wooden house of worship after the [[Todaiji Temple]] in Japan.
; [[Demerara Harbour Bridge]] : The world's fourth-longest floating bridge.
; [[Kaieteur Falls]].
; [[Secretariat of the Caribbean Community|Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Building]]: Houses the largest and most powerful economic union in the Caribbean.
; [[Providence Stadium]] : Situated in Providence on the east bank of the [[Demerara River]] and built in time for the ICC World Cup 2007, it is the largest sports stadium in the country. It is also near the Providence Mall, forming a major spot for leisure in Guyana.
; Guyana International Conference Centre: Presented as a gift from the People's Republic of China to the Government of Guyana. It is the only one of its kind in the country.
; Stabroek Market: A large cast-iron colonial structure that looked like a statue was located next to the Demerara River.
; The City Hall: A beautiful wooden structure also from the colonial era.
; Queen's College: Top educational institution in Guyana


The Smithsonian Institution has identified nearly 2,700 species of plants from this region, representing 239 distinct families, and there are certainly additional species still to be recorded.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}} The diversity of plants supports diverse animal life, recently documented by a biological survey organised by [[Conservation International]]. The reportedly clean, unpolluted waters of the Essequibo watershed support a remarkable diversity of fish and aquatic invertebrates, and are home to [[giant otters]], [[capybaras]], and several species of [[caimans]].
==Etymology==
The name "Guyana" is derived from ''guiana'' the original name for the region which now includes Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana and parts of Venezuela and Brazil. It is believed the original term came from a [[Taino]] word meaning either "land of fast-flowing water" (a reference to the numerous rivers of the territory) or "respectable".


On land, large mammals, such as [[jaguar]]s, [[tapirs]], [[bush dog]]s, [[giant anteater]]s, and [[saki monkey]]s are still common. Over 800 species of birds have been reported from the region, and the reptile and amphibian faunas are similarly rich.
== History ==
{{main|History of Guyana}}
Guyana was inhabited by the [[Arawak]] and [[Carib]] tribes of [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Amerindians]]. Although [[Christopher Columbus]] sighted Guyana during his third voyage (in 1498), the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] were first to establish colonies: [[Essequibo (colony)|Essequibo]] (1616), [[Berbice]] (1627), and [[Demerara]] (1752). The [[United Kingdom|British]] assumed control in the late 18th century, and the Dutch formally ceded the area in 1814. In 1831 the three separate colonies became a single British colony known as [[British Guiana]].


In February 2004, the Government of Guyana issued a title to more than {{cvt|1|e6acre|km2|order=flip}} of land in the Konashen Indigenous District as the [[Kanashen]] Community-Owned Conservation Area, managed by the [[Wai-Wai (people)|Wai Wai]], and the world's largest community-owned conservation Area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.conservation.org/Documents/CI_Konashen_COCA_Biodiversity_Booklet.pdf|title=Biodiversity in the Konashen Community-Owned Conservation Area, Guyana|access-date=2 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206142519/http://www.conservation.org/Documents/CI_Konashen_COCA_Biodiversity_Booklet.pdf|archive-date=6 December 2010}}</ref> The [[Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development]] was also created for the protection and sustainable use of the Iwokrama forest area. Since 2009, Guyana and Norway have collaborated to promote green development in Guyana while keeping deforestation at low levels.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-05|title=Guyana|url=https://www.nicfi.no/partner-countries/guyana/|access-date=2023-02-27|website=NICFI|language=en|archive-date=27 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227153505/https://www.nicfi.no/partner-countries/guyana/|url-status=live}}</ref>
Escaped slaves formed their own settlements known as [[Maroon (people)|Maroon]] communities. With the abolition of [[slavery]] in 1834, many of the former slaves began to settle in urban areas. [[Indentured labourers]] from modern-day [[Madeira|Portugal]] (1834), [[Germany]] (first in 1835), [[Ireland]] (1836), [[Scotland]] (1837), [[Malta]] (1839), [[China]] and East India (calcutta and bihar primarily, beginning in 1838) were imported to work on the [[Plantation|sugar plantations]].


== Economy ==
In 1889, Venezuela claimed the land up to the Essequibo. But ten years later, an international tribunal ruled the land belonged to British Guyana.
{{Main|Economy of Guyana|Agriculture in Guyana}}


{{See also|List of companies of Guyana}}
Guyana achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 26 May 1966 and became a [[republic]] on 23 February 1970, remaining a member of the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]]. The [[United States Department of State|United States State Department]] and the US [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA), along with the British government, played a strong role in influencing who would politically control Guyana during this time.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.guyana.org/govt/US-declassifed-documents-1964-1968.html | title = US Declassifed Documents (1964–1968)}}</ref> They provided secret financial support and political campaign advice to Guyanese of African descent, especially [[Forbes Burnham]]'s [[People's National Congress]] to the detriment of the [[Cheddi Jagan]]-led [[People's Progressive Party (Guyana)|People's Progressive Party]], mostly supported by Guyanese of Indian descent. In 1978, Guyana received considerable international attention when 918 almost entirely American members of the [[Jim Jones]]-led [[Peoples Temple]] died in [[Jonestown]] — a settlement created by the Peoples Temple. An attack by Jim Jones' body guards at a small remote airstrip close to Jonestown resulted in the murder of five people, including [[Leo Ryan]], the only [[United States House of Representatives|Congressman]] murdered in the line of duty in US history.


[[File:Tractor in field of rice by Khirsah1.jpg|thumb|A tractor in a rice field on Guyana's coastal plain]]
==Economy==
{{main|Economy of Guyana|Agriculture in Guyana}}
{{seealso|List of Guyanese companies}}
[[Image:Tractor in field of rice by Khirsah1.jpg|thumb|right|280 px|Tractor in a rice field on Guyana's coastal plain.]]
The main economic activities in Guyana are [[agriculture]] (production of rice and [[Demerara (sugar)|Demerara sugar]]), [[bauxite]] mining, [[gold]] mining, timber, shrimp fishing and minerals. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled [[labour (economics)|labour]] and a deficient [[infrastructure]]. In 2008, the economy witnessed a 3% increase in growth amid the global [[Crisis (economic)|economic crisis]] and are expected to grow further in 2009. Until recently, the government was juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. Low prices for key [[mining]] and agricultural commodities combined with troubles in the [[bauxite]] and [[sugar]] industries had threatened the government's tenuous fiscal position and dimmed prospects for the future. However, the Guyanese economy has rebounded slightly and exhibited moderate economic growth since 1999, thanks to an expansion in the [[agriculture|agricultural]] and [[mining]] sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realistic exchange rate, fairly low [[inflation]], and the continued support of international organizations.


The main economic activities in Guyana are agriculture (rice and [[Natural brown sugar|Demerara sugar]]), [[bauxite]] and gold mining, timber, seafood, minerals, crude oil and natural gas. Guyana's gold production in 2015 is 14 metric tons.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gold production |url=https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/gold-production?tab=table |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20231129233804/https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/gold-production?tab=table |archive-date=2023-11-29 |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=Our World in Data}}</ref>
The sugar industry, which accounts for 28% of all export earnings, is largely run by the company [[Guysuco]], which employs more people than any other industry. Many industries have a large foreign investment. For example, the mineral industry is heavily invested in by the American company [[Reynolds Metals]] and the Canadian [[Rio Tinto Alcan]]; the Korean/Malaysian [[Barama Company]] has a large stake in the logging industry.


The discovery of major crude oil reserves off the Atlantic coast has since made a large impact on Guyana's GDP since drilling began in 2019. GDP grew sharply (43%) through the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] year of 2020, and is anticipated to continue at a high level in 2021 (estimated at 20%). The non-oil sectors contracted as public health measures were in place to control the virus spread; the growth of GDP rests on the oil sector for these two years.<ref name=Ragobeer2021>{{cite news|url=https://guyanachronicle.com/2021/04/07/economy-to-grow-16-4-per-cent/|title=Economy to grow 16.4 per cent|first=Vishani|last=Ragobeer|date=7 April 2021|work=Guyana Chronicle|access-date=4 November 2021|quote=While presenting the 2021 National Budget in February, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, noted that Guyana's growth in 2020 was actually 43.5 per cent. The IMF's revised growth rate for 2020 (43.4 per cent) is now closely aligned with the figures provided by the senior minister. Meanwhile, in February also, the Dr. Singh projected that Guyana's economy is expected to grow by 20.9 per cent in 2021. ... Based on the World Bank's latest estimates, the country is set to record economic growth of 20.9 per cent at the end of 2021, 26.0 per cent in 2022 and 23.0 per cent in 2023.|archive-date=4 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104112912/https://guyanachronicle.com/2021/04/07/economy-to-grow-16-4-per-cent/|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[Image:Bourda-market.jpg|thumb|right|280 px|A section of Bourda Market.]]
In December 2024, Guyana is projected to be the third largest per capita petroleum producing country in the world.<ref name="Wilkinson 2024">{{cite web |last=Wilkinson |first=Bert |title=Guyana now third largest per-capita oil producer in the world – Caribbean Life |website=Caribbean Life |date=2024-12-20 |url=https://www.caribbeanlife.com/guyana-now-third-largest-per-capita-oil-producer-in-the-world/ |access-date=2024-12-20}}</ref>
The production of [[balatá]] (natural [[latex]]) was once big business in Guyana. Most of the balata bleeding in Guyana took place in the foothills of the Kanuku Mountains in the Rupununi. Early exploitation also took place in the North West District, but most of the trees in the area were destroyed by illicit bleeding methods that involved cutting down the trees rather than making incisions in them. Folk uses of balatá included the making of [[cricket]] balls, the temporary filling of troublesome tooth cavities, and the crafting of figurines and other decorative items (particularly by the Macushi people of the Kanuku mountains).


Preservation of Guyana's pristine forests has been a key component for receiving international aid through [[REDD]] programmes.
Major [[private sector]] organizations include the Private Sector Commission (PSC)<ref>[http://www.psc.org.gy Private Sector Commission]</ref> and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI);<ref>[http://www.georgetownchamberofcommerce.org Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI)]</ref>


=== Summary ===
The government initiated a major overhaul of the tax code in early 2007. The [[Value Added Tax]] (VAT) was brought into effect, replacing six different taxes. Prior to the implementation of the VAT, it had been relatively easy to evade sales tax, and many businesses were in violation of tax code. Many businesses were very opposed to VAT introduction because of the extra paperwork required; however, the Government has remained firm on the VAT. By replacing several taxes with one flat tax rate, it will also be easier for government auditors to spot [[embezzlement]]. While the adjustment to VAT has been difficult, it may improve day-to-day life because of the significant additional funds the government will have available for public spending.
*GDP: US$4.121&nbsp;billion ($5,252 per capita, 2019 est.)<ref name="IMFWEO.GY" />
*GDP growth rate: 86.7% (2020)<ref name="IMFWEO.GY" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Global Economic Prospects, January 2020: Slow Growth, Policy Challenges|url=https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/33044/9781464814693.pdf|access-date=14 January 2020|department=openknowledge.worldbank.org|publisher=[[World Bank]]|page=101|archive-date=12 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212055511/https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/33044/9781464814693.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
*Inflation: 5.03% (2021)<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Guyana|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guyana/#economy|access-date=2023-12-22|website=The World Factbook|archive-date=7 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107032754/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guyana/#economy|url-status=live}}</ref>
*Unemployment: 16.42% (2021)<ref name=":2" />
*Arable land: 2% (2018 estimate)<ref name=":2" />
*Labour force: 324,943 (2019)<ref>{{cite web|title=Labor force, total – Guyana|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.TOTL.IN?locations=GY|access-date=14 January 2020|department=data.worldbank.org|publisher=World Bank|archive-date=14 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114091125/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.TOTL.IN%3Flocations%3DGY|url-status=live}}</ref>
*Agricultural produce: sugar, rice, vegetable oils, beef, pork, poultry, dairy products, fish, shrimp<ref name=":2" />
*Industrial production: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining<ref name=":2" />
*Major export products: [[Petroleum|Crude Petroleum]] 85.9% ($15.9B), [[Gold]] 7.36% ($1.36B), [[Rice]] 2.32% ($429M), [[Bauxite|Aluminium Ore]] 1.04% ($192M), and [[Liquor|Hard Liquor]] 0.65% ($120M). (2022)<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Guyana (GUY) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners|url=https://oec.world/en/profile/country/guy|access-date=2024-06-14|website=The Observatory of Economic Complexity|language=en|archive-date=13 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230513110611/https://oec.world/en/profile/country/guy|url-status=live}}</ref>
*Exports: US$18.5 billion; Panama 31.6%, Netherlands 15.5%, United States 12.8%, United Arab Emirates 6.39%, and Italy 6.35%. (2022)<ref name=":3" />
*Major import products: [[Oil refinery|Refined Petroleum]] 11.8% ($441M), [[Valve]]s 5.48% ($206M), [[Automotive industry|Cars]] 2.87% ($108M), [[Construction vehicles|Large Construction Vehicles]] 2.81% ($106M), and [[Truck|Delivery Trucks]] 2.18% ($81.7M). (2022)<ref name=":3" />
*Imports: US$3.75 billion; United States 27.8%, China 14.3%, Brazil 7.06%, Trinidad and Tobago 6.84%, and Suriname 4.23%. (2022)<ref name=":3" />


=== History ===
President [[Bharrat Jagdeo]] has made [[debt relief]] a foremost priority of his administration. He has been quite successful, getting US$800&nbsp;million of debt written off by the [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF), [[World Bank Group|the World Bank]] and the [[Inter-American Development Bank]] (IDB), in addition to millions more from other industrial nations. Mr. Jagdeo was lauded by IDB President Moreno for his strong leadership and negotiating skills in pursuing debt relief for Guyana and several other regional countries.
The [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|earliest residents]] of Guyana employed a variety of agricultural practices for subsistence living but also had extensive networks of trade, dealing in items such as blow pipes, [[curare]], cassava graters, and other essentials. These trade networks were important even at the time of the earliest European contact, and Dutch traders were inclined to gift the local peoples in order to maintain successful settlements.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Whitaker|first=James Andrew|date=December 2017|title=Guns and Sorcery: Raiding, Trading, and Kanaima among the Makushi|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329972388|access-date=2021-03-04|website=ResearchGate|language=en}}</ref>


After the initial rush to find gold in the New World waned, the Dutch found the climate to be suitable for growing sugar cane, converting large tracts of the Guyanese coast into [[plantation]]s and supplying with labour from the [[Atlantic slave trade]]. The country and economy were run by a small European planter elite<ref>{{Cite book|last=Beaumont|first=Joseph|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FwJVAAAAcAAJ&q=indentured+servitude+british+guiana&pg=PA9|title=The New Slavery: An Account of the Indian and Chinese Immigrants in British Guiana|date=1871|publisher=W. Ridgway|pages=8–9|language=en|access-date=1 May 2021|archive-date=31 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210531024708/https://books.google.com/books?id=FwJVAAAAcAAJ&q=indentured+servitude+british+guiana&pg=PA9|url-status=live}}</ref> which continued on when the colonies of the territory were merged and the land was given over to the [[British Empire]] in 1814. Upon emancipation in 1838, almost all of the former slaves abandoned the plantations, and Indians were brought to the country under [[indenture]] contracts from 1838 until the end of the system in 1917.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Guyana – HISTORY OF THE ECONOMY|url=http://countrystudies.us/guyana/54.htm|access-date=2021-03-04|website=countrystudies.us|archive-date=6 July 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090706235649/http://countrystudies.us/guyana/54.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Summary ===

{{columns
The production of [[balatá]] (natural [[latex]]) was once a big business in Guyana. Most of the balatá bleeding in Guyana took place in the foothills of the [[Kanuku Mountains]] in the [[Rupununi savannah]]. Early exploitation also took place in the North West District, but most of the trees in the area were destroyed by illicit bleeding methods that involved cutting down the trees rather than making incisions in them. Uses of balatá included the making of [[cricket ball]]s, temporary dental fillings, and the crafting of figurines and other decorative items (particularly by the [[Macushi]] people).
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|col1 =
When the country gained independence from British rule, a policy of nationalisation was enacted by [[Forbes Burnham]] to address the inequities that were established by plantation-based colonial rule. All large-scale industries such as foreign-owned bauxite mining ([[Reynolds Metals]] and [[Rio Tinto Group|Rio Tinto's]] Alcan) and sugar ([[GuySuCo]]) operations were taken over by the government. However, the economy under nationalisation was plagued by problems; political instability leading to an exodus of skilled labour, inexperienced management, aging infrastructure. Poor international market conditions also expanded the country's debt.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Guyana – HISTORY OF THE ECONOMY – Postindependence|url=http://countrystudies.us/guyana/55.htm|access-date=2021-03-04|website=countrystudies.us|archive-date=16 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516152906/http://countrystudies.us/guyana/55.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
; [[Gross Domestic Product|GDP]]/[[Purchasing power parity|PPP]] (2007 estimate) : US$2.819&nbsp;billion (US$3,700 per capita)

; Real growth rate : 5.4%
The Guyanese economy rebounded slightly and exhibited moderate economic growth after 1999, due to expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a more favourable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support of international organisations. Guyana held huge amounts of debt which have been written off through various international agencies. In 2003 Guyana qualified for US$329 million of debt relief, in addition to the US$256 million from the original World Bank plan for assisting [[heavily indebted poor countries]] in 1999. The Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative in 2006/7 wrote off about US$611 million of Guyana's debt by the [[International Monetary Fund]], the [[World Bank]] and the [[Inter-American Development Bank]]. In 2006, Japan finalised its bilateral debt cancellation agreement, in 2007, US$15 million was written off by China and in 2008, Venezuela cancelled US$12.5 million.<ref>{{Cite web|date=15 April 2009|title=International Development Association Country Assistance Strategy for Guyana for the Period FY 2009–2012|url=http://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/162121468035426088/pdf/479830CAS0P106101Official0Use0Only1.pdf|access-date=2021-02-28|page=7|archive-date=17 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417174201/http://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/162121468035426088/pdf/479830CAS0P106101Official0Use0Only1.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
; Inflation : 12.3%

; Unemployment : 9.1% (2000, understated{{Fact|date=February 2007}})
In 2008, the economy witnessed a 3% increase in growth amid the global [[Financial crisis of 2007–08|economic crisis]]; it grew 5.4% in 2011 and 3.7% in 2012. IMF projected economic growth to be 53% in 2020 following the completion of the first off-shore oil project.<ref>{{Cite news|title=World Economy May Be Crashing But Guyana Still Seen Growing 53%|last=Bristow|first=Matthew|work=Bloomberg.com|date=14 April 2020|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-14/world-economy-may-be-crashing-but-guyana-still-seen-growing-53|access-date=2 May 2020|archive-date=4 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200504072244/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-14/world-economy-may-be-crashing-but-guyana-still-seen-growing-53|url-status=live}}</ref> Actual growth in GDP in 2020 was 43%; reports in April 2021 anticipate 20% growth for 2021.<ref name=Ragobeer2021 />
; Arable land : 2%

; Labour force : 418,000 (2001 estimate)
=== Tax policy ===
; Agricultural produce: sugar, rice, vegetable oils, beef, pork, poultry, dairy products, fish, shrimps
The government initiated a major overhaul of the tax code in early 2007. A [[Value Added Tax]] (VAT) replaced six different taxes. Prior to the implementation of the VAT, it had been relatively easy to evade sales tax, and many businesses were in violation of tax code. Many businesses opposed VAT introduction because of the extra paperwork required; however, the Government has remained firm on the VAT. Replacing several taxes with one flat tax rate, it will also be easier for government auditors to spot [[embezzlement]].
; Industrial produce : [[bauxite]], sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining
|col2 =
; Natural resources : bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
; Exports : US$621.6&nbsp;million (2006 estimate)<br/>sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimps, [[molasses]], rum, timber.
; Imports : US$706.9&nbsp;million (2006 estimate)<br/>manufactured items, machinery, petroleum, food.
; Major trading partners: Canada, US, UK, Portugal, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, China, Cuba (2005)
}}


== Demographics ==
== Demographics ==
{{main|Demographics of Guyana}}
{{Main|Demographics of Guyana|Guyanese people}}
[[File:Guyana population density.svg|thumb|Guyana's population density in 2012 (people per km<sup>2</sup>)]]
{{main|Guyanese people}}
[[File:Population Guyana.PNG|thumb|A graph showing the population of Guyana from 1961 to 2003. The population decline in the 1980s can be clearly seen.]]


The large majority (about 90%) of Guyana's 744,000 people live along a narrow coastal strip that ranges from a width of {{cvt|10|to|40|mi|order=flip}} inland and makes up approximately 10% of the nation's total land area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geographia.com/guyana/geninfo.html|title=Guyana General Information|publisher=Geographia.com|access-date=2 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411064504/http://www.geographia.com/Guyana/geninfo.html|archive-date=11 April 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The population of Guyana is approximately 770,000<ref name=cia/>, of which 90% reside on the narrow
coastal strip (approximately 10% of the total land area of Guyana). Guyana's coastal strip ranges from between 10 to 40 miles in width.<ref>[http://www.geographia.com/guyana/geninfo.html Geographia: Guyana General Information]</ref>


The present population of Guyana is racially and ethnically heterogeneous, composed chiefly of the descendants of immigrants who came to the country either as [[slavery|enslaved people]] or as indentured labourers. The population therefore comprises groups of persons with nationality backgrounds from [[India]], [[Pakistan]], [[Africa]], [[China]], [[Europe]] (especially the [[United Kingdom]], the [[Netherlands]], and [[Portugal]]), with several [[Indigenous peoples|Aboriginal]] groups as the indigenous population. These groups of diverse nationality backgrounds have been fused together by a common language, i.e., [[English language|English]] and [[Guyanese Creole|Creole]].
Guyana's population is racially and ethnically heterogeneous, with ethnic groups originating from India, Africa, Europe, and China, as well as [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indigenous peoples]]. Despite their diverse ethnic backgrounds, most groups share a common language of English and its Guyanese English Creole vernacular.


The largest ethnic group is the [[Indo-Guyanese]] (also known as [[Indo-Caribbeans|East Indians]]), the descendants of [[Indian indenture system|indentured labourers from India]] who make up 43.5% of the population, according to the 2002 census. They are followed by the [[Afro-Guyanese]], the descendants of enslaved people brought from Africa, primarily [[West Africa]], who constitute 30.2%. The Guyanese of mixed heritage make up 16.7%.
The largest ethnic sub-group is that of the descendants of immigrants from India and Pakistan, also known as [[Indo-Guyanese|East Indians]] (Indo-Guyanese), comprising 43.5% of the population in 2002. They are followed by people of [[Afro-Guyanese|African]] heritage (Afro-Guyanese) (30.2%). The third in number are those of mixed heritage (16.7%), while Aboriginals ([[Arawak]], [[Wai Wai]], [[Carib]], [[Akawaio]], Arecuna, Patamona, [[Wapixana]], [[Macushi]] and [[Warao]]) are fourth making up 24,500 of the population. The smallest groups are [[Europe]]an, including [[Portuguese immigrants in Guyana|Portuguese]] who make up 1,500 of the population and the [[Chinese people|Chinese]] (0.19% or 1,400 persons), and [[Middle Easterners]] of [[Arabic]] and [[Jewish]] extraction. A small group (0.01% or 112 persons) did not identify their race/ethnic background.<ref>http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php</ref>


The Indigenous peoples, known locally as [[Amerindians]], make up 10.5% of the population.<ref name="navigator">{{cite web|title=Indigenous Peoples in Guyana|url=https://indigenousnavigator.org/guyana|website=Indigenous Navigator|access-date=17 October 2024}}</ref> The nine Indigenous nations in Guyana, defined by language, are the [[Akawaio people|Akawaio]], [[Lokono|Arawak]] ([[Lokono]]), [[Arekuna people|Arekuna]] ([[Pemon]]), [[Kalina people|Carib]] ([[Karinya]]), [[Makushi]], [[Patamona]], [[Wai-wai people|Wai Wai]], [[Wapichan]], and [[Warao people|Warao]].<ref name=navigator/> They are the third-largest demographic group in the country and are the majority population in the southern interior.<ref name=navigator/>
The population distribution in 2002 was determined by nationality background. The distribution pattern has been similar to those of the 1980 and 1991 [[census]]es, but the share of the two main groups has declined. The East Indians were 51.9% of the total population in 1980, but by 1991 this had fallen to 48.6%, and then to 43.5% in the 2002 census. Those of African descent increased slightly from 30.8% to 32.3% during the first period (1980 and 1991) before falling to 30.2% in the 2002 census. With small growth in the population, the decline in the shares of the two larger groups has resulted in the relative shares of the ‘Mixed’ and Amerindian groups. The Amerindian population rose by 22,097 persons between 1991 and 2002. This represents an increase of 47.3% or annual growth of 3.5%. Similarly, the ‘Mixed’ population increased by 37,788 persons, representing a 43.0% increase or annual growth rate of 3.2% from the base period of 1991 census. The whites and Chinese populations which declined between 1980 and 1991 regained in numbers by the 2002 census by 54.4% (168 persons) and 8.1% (105 persons) respectively. However, because of their relatively small sizes, the increase has little effect on the overall change. The Portuguese group has declined constantly over the decades.


The Afro-Guyanese population mainly descend from West African ethnicities such as the [[Asante people|Ashanti]] from [[Ghana]], the [[Yoruba people|Yoruba]] from [[South West (Nigeria)|Southwest Nigeria]], the [[Igbo people|Igbo]] from [[Igboland|South-Eastern Nigeria]], and the [[Mandinka people|Mandingo]] from [[Senegal]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Roopnarine|first1=Lomarsh|title=A long journey to Emancipation|url=https://guyanachronicle.com/2021/07/25/a-long-journey-to-emancipation/|website=Guyana Chronicle|date=25 July 2021|access-date=17 April 2023|archive-date=17 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417020356/https://guyanachronicle.com/2021/07/25/a-long-journey-to-emancipation/|url-status=live}}</ref> Most Indo-Guyanese are descended from indentured labourers who migrated from [[North India]], especially the [[Bhojpuri region|Bhojpur]] and [[Awadh]] regions of the [[Hindi Belt]] in the present-day states of [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Bihar]], and [[Jharkhand]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/musicofhindutrin00myer|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/musicofhindutrin00myer/page/30 30]|title=Music of Hindu Trinidad|publisher=University of Chicago Press|first=Helen|last=Myers|isbn=9780226554532|year=1999}}</ref> A significant minority of Indo-Guyanese are also descended from indentured migrants who came from the South Indian states of [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]]; these are the plurality ancestry in the [[East Berbice-Corentyne]] region.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter17.pdf|title=Indian Diaspora|access-date=3 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430175036/http://indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter17.pdf|archive-date=30 April 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Most Indo-Guyanese are descended from [[Bhojpuri]]-speaking [[Bihari people|Bihari]] migrants.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=RCF6NnEv9oAC&pg=PA30&d |title=Music of Hindu Trinidad |author=Helen Myers}}</ref>
The two largest groups, the Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese, have experienced some racial tension.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/caribbean/news/story/2005/09/050920_guyana_race.shtml "Guyana turns attention to racism"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202071027/http://www.bbc.co.uk/caribbean/news/story/2005/09/050920_guyana_race.shtml |date=2 December 2010}}. ''BBC News''. 20 September 2005.</ref><ref>"[http://www.guyana.org/features/conflicts_indiansandblacks.html Conflict between Guyanese-Indians and Blacks in Trinidad and Guyana Socially, Economically and Politically] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202013914/http://www.guyana.org/features/conflicts_indiansandblacks.html |date=2 December 2010}}". Gabrielle Hookumchand, Professor Moses Seenarine. 18 May 2000.</ref><ref>[http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/265657/20111212/guyana-politics-election-blacks-indians-ramotar-ppp.htm International Business Times: "Guyana: A Study in Polarized Racial Politics"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715075007/http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/265657/20111212/guyana-politics-election-blacks-indians-ramotar-ppp.htm |date=15 July 2012}} 12 December 2011</ref>


===Language===
=== Largest cities ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
[[English language|English]] is the official language of Guyana and used, for example, in its schools. In addition, [[Cariban languages]] ([[Akawaio language|Akawaio]], [[Wai-Wai (people)|Wai-Wai]], [[Arawak]] and [[Macushi]]) are spoken by a small minority, while [[Guyanese Creole]] (an English-based creole with African and Indian syntax whose grammar is not standardized.<ref>Damoiseau, Robert (2003) ''Eléments de grammaire comparée français-créole guyanais'' Ibis rouge, Guyana, ISBN 2844501923</ref>) is widely spoken. Furthermore, one quirk of Guyanese English, particularly in the lower classes, is the fact that English pronouns are almost completely interchangeable.{{Fact|date=May 2009}} E.g. "he" "I" "we" "she" "them" may well be used just about in any combination in a sentence.{{Fact|date=May 2009}} An example, "Me seh to dah police, why dem bodder with we?" (I said to the police, why do you bother with me?).
|+ Largest cities and towns of Guyana
|-
! Rank !! [[List of cities and towns in Guyana|Name]] !! [[Regions of Guyana|Region]] !! Population
|-
| '''1''' || [[Georgetown, Guyana|Georgetown]] || [[Demerara-Mahaica]] || 118,363<ref name="cities2012">{{cite report|title=Guyana Population and Housing Census 2012: Preliminary Report|url=https://statisticsguyana.gov.gy/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2012_Preliminary_Report.pdf|page=23|publisher=Bureau of Statistics, Guyana|date=June 2014|access-date=10 March 2021|archive-date=10 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010130705/https://statisticsguyana.gov.gy/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2012_Preliminary_Report.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| '''2''' || [[Linden, Guyana|Linden]] || [[Upper Demerara-Berbice]] || 27,277<ref name="cities2012"/>
|-
| '''3''' || [[New Amsterdam, Guyana|New Amsterdam]] || [[East Berbice-Corentyne]] || 17,329<ref name="cities2012"/>
|-
| '''4''' || [[Corriverton]] || [[East Berbice-Corentyne]] || 11,386<ref name="cities2012"/>
|-
| '''5''' || [[Bartica]] || [[Cuyuni-Mazaruni]] || 8,004<ref name="village2012">{{cite web|url=https://statisticsguyana.gov.gy/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Population_By_Village_2012.zip|title=2012 Population by Village|website=Statistics Guyana|access-date=16 August 2020|archive-date=17 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417175159/https://statisticsguyana.gov.gy/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Population_by_Village_2012.zip|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| '''6''' || [[Mahaica]] || [[Demerara-Mahaica]] || 4,867<ref name="village2012"/>
|-
| '''7''' || [[Rose Hall, Guyana|Rose Hall]] || [[East Berbice-Corentyne]] || 4,413<ref name="village2012"/>
|-
| '''8''' || [[Parika]] || [[Essequibo Islands-West Demerara]] || 4,385<ref name="village2012"/>
|-
| '''9''' || [[Triumph, Guyana|Triumph]] || [[Demerara-Mahaica]] || 3,788<ref name="village2012"/>
|-
| '''10''' || [[Uitvlugt]] || [[Essequibo Islands-West Demerara]] || 2,980<ref name="village2012"/>
|-
|}


===Religion===
=== Languages ===
{{main|Religion in Guyana}}
{{Main|Languages of Guyana}}
English is the official language of Guyana and is used for education, government, media, and services. The vast majority of the population speaks [[Guyanese Creole]], an English-based creole with slight African, Indian, and Amerindian influences, as their first language.<ref>Damoiseau, Robert (2003) ''Eléments de grammaire comparée français-créole guyanais'' Ibis rouge, Guyana, {{ISBN|2-84450-192-3}}</ref>
According to the 2002 Census, Guyana's religions breakdown is 57% [[Christianity|Christian]] (of which 16.9% [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]], 8.1% [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]], 6.9% [[Anglicanism|Anglican]], 5% [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventist]] and 20% other Christian denominations), 23.4% [[Hinduism|Hindu]], 7.3% [[Islam|Muslim]], 0.5% [[Rastafari movement|Rastafarian]], 0.1% [[Bahá'í Faith|Bahá'í]], 2.2% other faiths including [[Judaism]], and 4.3% no religion.<ref>[http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2007/90256.htm International Religious Freedom Report 2007]</ref> Most Guyanese Christians are either Protestants or Roman Catholics and include a mix of all races. [[Hinduism]] is dominated by the Indians who came to the country in the early 19th century, while [[Islam]] varies between the Afro-Guyanese, and Indian-Guyanese.


Indigenous [[Cariban languages]] ([[Akawaio language|Akawaio]], [[Waiwai language|Wai-Wai]], and [[Macushi language|Macushi]]) are spoken by a small minority of Amerindians.
==Government and politics==
{{Refimprove|section|date=December 2008}}
[[Image:Old residence.jpg|thumb|right|The State House, Guyana's Presidential Residence.]]
[[Politics of Guyana]] takes place in a framework of a [[semi-presidential system|semi-presidential]] [[representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[republic]], whereby the [[President of Guyana]] is the [[head of government]], and of a [[multi-party system]]. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the government. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the [[government]] and the [[National Assembly of Guyana]].


[[Caribbean Hindustani#Guyanese Hindustani|Guyanese Hindustani]] is spoken by the older generation of the Indo-Guyanese community, but younger Guyanese use English or Guyanese Creole. Indo-Surinamese immigrants from Suriname speak the [[Caribbean Hindustani#Sarnami Hindustani|Sarnami]] variant, especially the [[Caribbean Hindustani#Nickerian-Berbician Hindustani|Nickerian-Berbician Hindustani]] subdialect.<ref>{{Cite thesis|last=Gambhir|first=Surendra Kumar|date=1981|title=The East Indian Speech Community in Guyana: A Sociolinguistic Study With Special Reference to Koine Formation.|url=https://repository.upenn.edu/dissertations/AAI8207963|type=PhD dissertation|publisher=University of Pennsylvania|pages=1–367|access-date=7 March 2021|archive-date=30 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430150912/https://repository.upenn.edu/dissertations/AAI8207963/|url-status=live|id={{ProQuest|303192456}}}}</ref>
Historically, politics is a source of tension in the country, and violent riots have often broken out during elections. During the 1970s and 1980s, the political landscape was dominated by the People's National Congress. In 1992, the first "free and fair" elections were overseen by former United States President [[Jimmy Carter]], and the People's Progressive Party has led the country since. The two parties are principally organized along ethnic lines and as a result often clash on issues related to the allocation of resources.{{Fact|date=December 2008}}


=== Military ===
=== Religion ===
{{Main|Religion in Guyana}}
[[Image:Guana Defense Forces.JPEG|thumb|right|Soldiers of the Guyana Defense Forces]]
[[File:Central Vaidik Mandir, Georgetown, Guyana..jpg|thumb|left|250px|Central Vaidik Mandir in Georgetown]]
The [[military of Guyana]] consists of the [[Guyana Defence Force]] (GDF), which includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Corps. 155,058 males are fit for service (2002 estimates) The Guyana People's Militia and the Guyana National Service are defunct.


In 2012 the population was 63% Christian, 25% [[Hindu]], 7% [[Islam|Muslim]], 3% of other faiths, and 3% irreligious.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Guyana|url=https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/guyana/|access-date=2023-12-07|website=United States Department of State|language=en-US|archive-date=7 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207180431/https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/guyana/|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Transport===
[[Image:LethemBridge.jpg|thumb|right|Cross-border bridge from Guyana to [[Brazil]] near [[Lethem, Guyana|Lethem]].]]
{{main|Transport in Guyana}}
There are a total of 116 miles (187&nbsp;km) of [[railway]], all dedicated to ore transport. There are 4,952 miles (7,970&nbsp;km) of highway, of which 367 miles (590&nbsp;km) is paved. Navigable waterways include 669 miles (1,077&nbsp;km), including the Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers.


Religion is an important aspect of identity in Guyana and reflects the various external influences of colonialism and immigrant groups. Christianity was considered the prestigious religion, transmitting European culture and representing upward mobility in the colonial society. Missionaries and churches built schools, and until nationalisation in the 1970s, nearly all schools were denominational. When Indians were brought to the country as indentured labour, Hinduism and Islam gained prominence, but for some decades neither were acknowledged for legal marriage.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Williams|first=Brackette F.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-Nx49xkfu-YC&q=christian&pg=PA298|title=Stains on My Name, War in My Veins: Guyana and the Politics of Cultural Struggle|date=1991-04-12|publisher=Duke University Press|isbn=978-0-8223-1119-5|language=en|access-date=1 May 2021|archive-date=31 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210531024830/https://books.google.com/books?id=-Nx49xkfu-YC&q=christian&pg=PA298|url-status=live}}</ref>
There are ports at Georgetown, Port Kaituma, and [[New Amsterdam, Guyana|New Amsterdam]]. There is 1 international airport ([[Cheddi Jagan International Airport]], Timehri); 1 regional airport ([[Ogle Airport]]); and about 90 airstrips, 9 of which have paved runways.


Some traditional African and Amerindian spiritual beliefs remain alongside the dominant religions.
=== Electricity ===
{{main|Electricity sector in Guyana}}
The electricity sector in Guyana is dominated by [[Guyana Power and Light]], a state-owned vertically integrated [[public utility]]. Although the country has a large potential for [[Hydropower|hydroelectric]] and [[bagasse]]-fueled power generation, most of its 226 [[Megawatt|MW]] of installed capacity correspond to inefficient thermoelectric [[Diesel generator|diesel-engine driven generators]].


=== Health ===
Reliability of electricity supply is very low, linked both to technical and institutional deficiencies, with total losses close to 40% and commercial losses of about 30%. This low reliability has led most firms to install their own diesel generators, which in turn leads to higher than average electricity costs.
{{Main|Health in Guyana}}
[[Life expectancy]] at birth is estimated to be 69.5 years as of 2020.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=South America :: Guyana — The World Factbook – Central Intelligence Agency|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guyana/|access-date=2020-12-10|website=www.cia.gov|archive-date=7 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107032754/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guyana/|url-status=live}}</ref>


The PAHO/ WHO Global Health Report 2014 (using statistics of 2012) ranked the country as having the highest [[suicide]] rate in the world, with a mortality rate of 44.2 per 100,000 inhabitants.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/131056/1/9789241564779_eng.pdf?ua=1&ua=1|title=WHO Report 2014 Preventing suicide: A global imperative.|access-date=4 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150616024658/http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/131056/1/9789241564779_eng.pdf?ua=1&ua=1|archive-date=16 June 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/news/americas/21616972-when-it-comes-people-taking-their-own-lives-guyana-leads-world-desperate-measures|title=Desperate measures|date=13 September 2014|newspaper=The Economist|access-date=29 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170610122736/http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21616972-when-it-comes-people-taking-their-own-lives-guyana-leads-world-desperate-measures|archive-date=10 June 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> According to 2011 estimates from the [[WHO]], [[HIV]] [[prevalence]] is 1.2% of the teen/adult population (ages 15–49).<ref>[https://www.who.int/gho/publications/world_health_statistics/EN_WHS2011_Part1.pdf WHO Health-Related Millennium Development Goals Report 2011] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617072744/http://www.who.int/gho/publications/world_health_statistics/EN_WHS2011_Part1.pdf |date=17 June 2012}}. Part1</ref>
=== Water supply and sanitation ===


=== Education ===
{{main|Water supply and sanitation in Guyana}}
{{Main|Education in Guyana}}Education in Guyana was primarily introduced and operated by missionising Christian denominations. The wealthy planter elite often sent their children for education abroad in England, but as schools improved in Guyana, they also modelled after the former [[British education]] system. Primary education became compulsory in 1876, although the need for children to assist in agricultural labour kept many children from schooling. In the 1960s, the government took over control of all schools in the country. Fees were removed, new schools were opened in rural areas, and the University of Guyana was established so students no longer were required to go abroad for tertiary education.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Guyana – EDUCATION|url=http://countrystudies.us/guyana/44.htm|access-date=2021-03-06|website=countrystudies.us|archive-date=14 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814064255/http://countrystudies.us/guyana/44.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>[[File:Queens College Guyana.jpg|thumb|[[Queen's College, Georgetown]]]]Guyana's literacy was one of the highest in the Caribbean, by estimated literacy rate of 96 per cent in 1990.<ref name=":1" /> In a 2014 UNESCO estimate, literacy is 96.7 in the 15–24 year old age group.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-11-27|title=Guyana|url=http://uis.unesco.org/en/country/gy|access-date=2021-03-06|website=uis.unesco.org|archive-date=2 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302112953/http://uis.unesco.org/en/country/gy|url-status=live}}</ref> However, the functional literacy may be only as high as 70%.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Jennings|first=Zellyne|date=2000-05-01|title=Functional literacy of Young Guyanese Adults|url=https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003926406978|journal=International Review of Education|language=en|volume=46|issue=1|pages=93–116|doi=10.1023/A:1003926406978|bibcode=2000IREdu..46...93J|s2cid=142861368|issn=1573-0638}}</ref>


Students are expected to take the NGSA (National Grade Six Assessment) for entrance into high school in grade 7. They take the [[CXC]] at the end of high school. Schools have introduced the [[Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination|CAPE]] exams which all other Caribbean countries have introduced. The [[Advanced Level (UK)|A-level system]], inherited from the British era, is offered only in a few schools.
Key issues in the [[Water supply|water]] and [[sanitation]] sector in Guyana are poor service quality, a low level of cost recovery and low levels of access. A high-profile management contract with the British company [[Severn Trent]] was cancelled by the government in February 2007. In 2008 the public utility Guyana Water Inc implemented a Turnaround Plan (TAP) to reduce [[non-revenue water]] and to financially consolidate the utility. NRW reduction is expected to be 5% per annum for the three-year period of the plan, A mid term review is now due to examine the success of the TAP.


Infrastructure challenges affect access to education, especially for students in the hinterland. A World Bank assessment showed roughly 50% of teachers were "untrained, operated with inadequate teaching materials, and served children of parents with low levels of adult literacy".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Improving Literacy and Numeracy Outcomes for Guyana's Early Learners|url=https://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2019/04/26/improving-literacy-and-numeracy-outcomes-for-guyana-early-learners|access-date=2021-03-06|website=World Bank|language=en|archive-date=17 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417175711/https://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2019/04/26/improving-literacy-and-numeracy-outcomes-for-guyana-early-learners|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Education==
[[Image:Bishops high gt.jpg|thumb|right|330 px|Bishops' High School]]


== Government ==
{{main|Education in Guyana}}
=== Politics ===
{{Main|Politics of Guyana}}
[[File:Old residence.jpg|thumb|left|The State House, Guyana's presidential residence]]
[[File:20191121 Guyana 0062 Georgetown sRGB (49295972987).jpg|thumb|left|The Supreme Court of Guyana]]
[[File:Parliament building, Guyana.jpg|thumb|left|Guyana's parliament building since 1834]]


The [[politics of Guyana]] takes place in a framework of a [[Parliamentary system|Parliamentary]] [[Representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[republic]], in which the [[President of Guyana]] is both [[head of state]] and [[head of government]], and of a [[multi-party system]]. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the President and the Government. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the President and the [[National Assembly of Guyana]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Guyana – government institutions|url=http://countrystudies.us/guyana/76.htm|access-date=2021-03-04|website=countrystudies.us|archive-date=7 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407052814/http://countrystudies.us/guyana/76.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Historically, politics is a source of tension in the country, and violent riots have often broken out during elections.
Guyana's educational system was at one time considered to be among the best in the Caribbean, but it significantly deteriorated in the 1980s because of the emigration of highly educated citizens and the lack of appropriate funding. Although the education system has recovered somewhat in the 1990s, it still does not produce the quality of educated students necessary for Guyana to modernize its workforce. The country lacks a critical mass of expertise in many of the disciplines and activities on which it depends.


During the 1970s and 1980s, the political landscape was dominated by the People's National Congress.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Guyana – Political Parties|url=http://countrystudies.us/guyana/83.htm|access-date=2021-03-04|website=countrystudies.us|archive-date=7 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407054218/http://countrystudies.us/guyana/83.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
The educational system does not sufficiently focus on the training of Guyanese in science and technology, technical and vocational subjects, [[business management]], nor [[computer science]]s. The Guyanese education system is modeled after the former [[British education]] system. Students are expected to write [[SSEE]] (secondary school entrance exam) by grade 6 for entrance into High School in grade 7. They write [[CXC]] at the end of high school. Recently they have introduced the [[CAPE]] exams which all other Caribbean countries have introduced. The [[Advanced Level (UK)|A-level]] system left over from the British era has all but disappeared and is offered only in a few schools.
In 1992, the first constitutional elections were overseen by former United States President [[Jimmy Carter]], and the People's Progressive Party led the country until 2015. The two parties are principally organised along ethnic lines and as a result, often clash on issues related to the allocation of resources. In the General Elections held on 28 November 2011, the People's Progressive Party (PPP) retained a majority, and their presidential candidate [[Donald Ramotar]] was elected as president.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-15980149|title=Guyana governing party's Donald Ramotar wins presidency|work=BBC News|date=2 December 2011|access-date=2 April 2021|archive-date=17 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417170255/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-15980149|url-status=live}}</ref>


On 11 May 2015, early general elections were held. A coalition of the A Partnership for National Unity-Alliance for Change (APNU-AFC) parties won 33 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly. On 16 May 2015, retired army general [[David A. Granger]] became the eighth President of Guyana.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-32747514|title=Ex-general David Granger wins Guyana election|work=BBC News|date=15 May 2015|access-date=2 April 2021|archive-date=17 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417170813/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-32747514|url-status=live}}</ref> However, on 21 December 2018, a vote of confidence was called for, regarding terms under which the government granted a franchise for offshore oil exploration. Legislator Charrandass Persaud defected from the coalition and the vote failed, requiring new elections. The governing coalition litigated this result for the entire 90 days allowed for new elections. New elections were held on 2 March 2020, and results were declared on 3 August 2020, with the People's Progressive Party/Civic as the winner. [[Irfaan Ali|Mohamed Irfaan Ali]] became the ninth President of Guyana.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-53637085|title=Guyana swears in Irfaan Ali as president after long stand-off|work=BBC News|date=3 August 2020|access-date=2 April 2021|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803201857/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-53637085|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://guyanachronicle.com/2019/03/21/ruling-on-confidence-vote-appeal-friday|title=Ruling on confidence vote appeal Friday|first=Svetlana|last=Marshall|publisher=Guyana Chronicle|date=21 March 2019|access-date=22 March 2019|archive-date=22 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322111824/http://guyanachronicle.com/2019/03/21/ruling-on-confidence-vote-appeal-friday|url-status=live}}</ref>
Further adding to the problems of the educational system, many of the better-educated professional teachers have emigrated to other countries over the past two decades, mainly because of low pay, lack of opportunities and crime. As a result, there is a lack of trained teachers at every level of Guyana's educational system.
There are however several very good Private schools that have sprung up over the last fifteen years. Those schools offer a varied and balanced curriculum. However, the top government schools have nonetheless continued their dominance in academic performance outshining these private schools over the years.


===Essequibo conflict===
==Communications==
There is a conflict between Guyana and [[Venezuela]] concerning the Essequibo region. After years of fruitless mediation, Guyana went to the [[International Court of Justice]] in 2018, asking judges to rule that the 1899 border decision by an international panel of arbiters is valid and binding. Venezuela argues that a 1966 agreement to resolve the dispute effectively nullified the original arbitration. The ICJ has ruled the case is admissible and that it has jurisdiction, but it is expected to take years to reach a final decision. On Sunday, 3 December 2023, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro convoked a referendum to ask Venezuelan electors five questions, including whether to create a Venezuelan state in Essequibo and whether voters support granting Venezuelan citizenship to the region's current and future residents. Venezuela does not recognise the U.N. panel's jurisdiction over the decades-old dispute, but the country's Vice President Delcy Rodríguez nonetheless characterised the ruling as a "victory for Venezuela," given that the U.N. did not order a halt to the referendum plans.
<ref>{{cite web | title=CIA - The World Factbook -- Guyana | url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gy.html | publisher=[[Central Intelligence Agency]] | date=23 April 2009 | accessdate=2009-05-14}}</ref>
<ref>{{Cite web|title=UN court bars Venezuela from altering Guyana's control over disputed territory.|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/court-ruling-request-order-venezuela-halt-part-referendum-105299460.|first=Mike|last=Corder|work=ABC News|publisher=Associated Press|date=2 November 2023|access-date=2 December 2023|archive-date=2 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231202140232/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/court-ruling-request-order-venezuela-halt-part-referendum-105299460.|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Telephone System===
*Telephones : 110,100 main telephone lines (2005)
*Telephones - mobile cellular: 281,400 (2005)
*General Assessment: fair system for long-distance service
*Domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines; fixed-line teledensity is about 15 per 100 persons; many areas still lack fixed-line telephone services; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 37 per 100 persons in 2005
*international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
===Radio broadcast stations===
*AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)
===Television broadcast stations===
*3 (1 public station; 2 private stations which relay on US satellite services) (1997)
===Internet System===
*Internet country code: .gy
*Internet hosts: 6,218 (2008)
*Internet users: 190,000 (2007)


==Public health==
=== Public procurement ===
[[Government procurement|Public procurement]] in Guyana is overseen by the Public Procurement Commission, appointed under the Public Procurement Commission Act 2003. Due to lengthy delay in identifying and agreeing commission members, the commission was not appointed until 2016.<ref>[https://www.cips.org/supply-management/news/2016/august/guyana-hands-procurement-to-commission/ After 14 years, Guyana establishes procurement commission] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021131901/https://www.cips.org/supply-management/news/2016/august/guyana-hands-procurement-to-commission/ |date=21 October 2016}}, "Supply Management", 12 August 2016, accessed 1 October 2016</ref>
=== Service delivery ===
The delivery of health services is provided at five different levels in the public sector:
*Level I: Local Health Posts (166 in total) that provide preventive and simple curative care for common diseases and attempt to promote proper health practices. Community health workers staff them.
*Level II: Health Centres (109 in total) that provide preventive and rehabilitative care and promotion activities. These are ideally staffed with a medical extension worker or public health nurse, along with a [[nursing assistant]], a dental nurse and a midwife.
*Level III: Nineteen District Hospitals (with 473 beds) that provide basic in-patient and outpatient care (although more the latter than the former) and selected diagnostic services. They are also meant to be equipped to provide simple radiological and laboratory services, and to be capable of gynecology, providing preventive and curative dental care. They are designed to serve geographical areas with populations of 10,000 or more.
*Level IV: Four Regional Hospitals (with 620 beds) that provide emergency services, routine surgery and [[obstetrical]] and gynecological care, dental services, diagnostic services and specialist services in general medicine and pediatrics. They are designed to include the necessary support for this level of medical service in terms of laboratory and X-ray facilities, pharmacies and dietetic expertise. These hospitals are located in Regions 2, 3, 6 and 10.
*Level V: The National Referral Hospital (937 beds) in Georgetown that provides a wider range of diagnostic and specialist services, on both an in-patient and out-patient basis; the Psychiatric Hospital in [[Canje]]; and the Geriatric Hospital in Georgetown. There is also one children’s rehabilitation centre.


=== Military ===
This system is structured so that its proper functioning depends intimately on a process of referrals. Except for serious emergencies, patients are to be seen first at the lower levels, and those with problems that cannot be treated at those levels are referred to higher levels in the system. However, in practice, many patients by-pass the lower levels.
{{Main|Guyana Defence Force}}


The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is the military service of Guyana. It maintains strong military relations with [[Brazilian Armed Forces|Brazil]], with which it collaborates on border security through yearly regional military exchange gatherings. Guyana also has an ongoing partnership with the [[United States Army]] to enhance the country's military readiness and capabilities to respond to security threats.<ref>{{cite web|title=U.S. Army, Guyana Defence Forces Strengthen Military Partnership|url=https://gy.usembassy.gov/u-s-army-guyana-defence-forces-strengthen-military-partnership/|website=U.S. Embassy Guyana|date=28 November 2023|access-date=26 January 2024|archive-date=5 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240105153815/https://gy.usembassy.gov/u-s-army-guyana-defence-forces-strengthen-military-partnership/|url-status=live}}</ref>
The health sector is currently unable to offer certain sophisticated tertiary services and specialized medical services, the technology for which is unaffordable in Guyana, or for which the required medical specialists are not available. Even with substantial improvements in the health sector, the need for overseas treatment for some services might remain. The Ministry of Health provides financial assistance to patients requiring such treatment, priority being given to children whose condition can be rehabilitated with significant improvements to their quality of life.


=== Human rights ===
There are 10 hospitals belonging to the private sector and to public corporations, plus diagnostic facilities, clinics and dispensaries in those sectors. These ten hospitals provide for 548 beds.
{{See also|LGBT rights in Guyana}}
Eighteen clinics and dispensaries are owned by [[GUYSUCO]].
[[Homosexuality|Homosexual]] acts, as well as [[anal sex|anal]] and [[oral sex]], are illegal in Guyana.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/gay-lesbian-bisexual-relationships-illegal-in-74-countries-a7033666.html|title=LGBT relationships are illegal in 74 countries, research finds|work=The Independent|date=17 May 2016|access-date=29 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827151517/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/gay-lesbian-bisexual-relationships-illegal-in-74-countries-a7033666.html|archive-date=27 August 2017|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It is currently the only country in South America that prohibits such acts. Engaging in such acts can warrant [[life imprisonment]], though the prohibition is [[Unenforced law|not enforced]]. These laws can be difficult to alter, as [[Constitution of Guyana|Guyana's Constitution]] protects laws inherited from the [[British Empire]] from constitutional review.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Burham|first1=Margaret A.|title=Saving Constitutional Rights from Judicial Scrutiny: The Savings Clause in the Law of the Commonwealth Caribbean|url=https://repository.law.miami.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1159&context=umialr|website=miami.edu|access-date=26 June 2020|archive-date=28 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180628205146/https://repository.law.miami.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1159&context=umialr|url-status=live}}</ref> However, [[cross-dressing]] has been legal since 2018, when a ban was struck down by Guyana's court of last resort, the [[Caribbean Court of Justice]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ccj.org/ccj-declares-guyanas-cross-dressing-law-unconstitutional/|title=CCJ Declares Guyana's Cross-Dressing Law Unconstitutional|publisher=The Caribbean Court of Justice|date=13 November 2018|access-date=4 August 2020|archive-date=20 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220105715/http://www.ccj.org/news/ccj-declares-guyanas-cross-dressing-law-unconstitutional|url-status=live}}</ref> [[President of Guyana|President]] [[David A. Granger]] (2015–2020) expressed support for these efforts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://guyanachronicle.com/2016/01/06/president-to-respect-lgbt-rights/|title=President to respect LGBT rights|publisher=Guyana Chronicle|date=6 January 2016|access-date=4 August 2020|archive-date=24 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124012800/https://guyanachronicle.com/2016/01/06/president-to-respect-lgbt-rights/|url-status=live}}</ref>


==Administrative divisions==
The [[Ministry of Health and Labour]] is responsible for the funding of the National Referral Hospital in Georgetown, which has recently been made a public corporation managed by an independent Board. [[Region 6]] is responsible for the management of the [[National Psychiatric Hospital]]. The Geriatric Hospital, previously administered by the Ministry of Labour, became the responsibility of the [[Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of Guyana|Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security]] in December 1997.
=== Regions and Neighbourhood Councils === <!--Linked from [[Administrative divisions of Guyana]]-->
{{Main|Regions of Guyana|Neighbourhood Councils of Guyana}}{{Imageframe|width=350|content=[[File:Guyana regions Numbered.png|175px]][[File:Guyana Regions Map With Names.png|175px]]|caption=Regions of Guyana by number and name|link=|align=right}}Guyana is divided into 10 regions:<ref>[http://www.statisticsguyana.gov.gy/pubs/Chapter3_Population_Redistribution_Internal_Migration.pdf Bureau of Statistics – Guyana] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217151423/http://www.statisticsguyana.gov.gy/pubs/Chapter3_Population_Redistribution_Internal_Migration.pdf |date=17 February 2012}}, CHAPTER III: POPULATION REDISTRIBUTION AND INTERNAL MIGRATION, Table 3.4: Population Density, Guyana: 1980–2002</ref><ref>[http://gina.gov.gy/natprofile/gnprof.html Guyana – Government Information Agency], National Profile. gina.gov.gy {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814020614/http://gina.gov.gy/natprofile/gnprof.html |date=14 August 2007}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
|- style="background:#bbb;"
! No
! Region
! Regional capital
! Area km<sup>2</sup>
! Pop. <br />(2012 census)
! Pop. density <br />per km<sup>2</sup>
|-
| '''1''' || align=left | [[Barima-Waini]] || [[Mabaruma]] || 20,339 || 26,941 || 1.32
|-
| '''2''' || align=left |[[Pomeroon-Supenaam]] || [[Anna Regina]] || 6,195 || 46,810 || 7.56
|-
| '''3''' || align=left |[[Essequibo Islands-West Demerara]] || [[Vreed en Hoop]] || 3,755 || 107,416 || 28.61
|-
| '''4''' || align=left |[[Demerara-Mahaica]] || [[Triumph, Guyana|Triumph]] || 2,232 || 313,429 || 140.43
|-
| '''5''' || align=left |[[Mahaica-Berbice]] || [[Fort Wellington, Guyana|Fort Wellington]] || 4,190 || 49,723 || 11.87
|-
| '''6''' || align=left |[[East Berbice-Corentyne]] || [[New Amsterdam, Guyana|New Amsterdam]]|| 36,234 || 109,431 || 3.02
|-
| '''7''' || align=left |[[Cuyuni-Mazaruni]] || [[Bartica]] || 47,213 || 20,280 || 0.43
|-
| '''8''' || align=left |[[Potaro-Siparuni]] || [[Mahdia, Guyana|Mahdia]] || 20,051 || 10,190 || 0.51
|-
| '''9''' || align=left |[[Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo]] || [[Lethem, Guyana|Lethem]] || 57,750 || 24,212 || 0.42
|-
| '''10''' || align=left |[[Upper Demerara-Berbice]] || [[Linden, Guyana|Linden]] || 17,040 || 39,452 || 2.32
|-
| || align=left | '''Total''' || ||'''214,999''' ||'''747,884''' ||'''3.48'''
|}


The regions are divided into 27 neighbourhood councils.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statisticsguyana.gov.gy/pubs/List_of_NDCs.pdf|title=Government of Guyana, Statistics|access-date=2 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091113142144/http://www.statisticsguyana.gov.gy/pubs/List_of_NDCs.pdf|archive-date=13 November 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>
=== Health conditions ===
One of the most unfortunate consequences of Guyana's economic decline in the 1970s and 1980s was that it led to very poor health conditions for a large part of the population. Basic health services in the interior are primitive to non-existent, and some procedures are not available at all. The [[United States Department of State|US State Department]] Consular Information Sheet warns "Medical care is available for minor medical conditions. Emergency care and hospitalization for major medical illnesses or surgery is limited, because of a lack of appropriately trained specialists, below standard in-hospital care, and poor sanitation. Ambulance service is substandard and may not routinely be available for emergencies." Many Guyanese seek medical care in the United States, [[Trinidad]] or [[Cuba]].


=== Natural regions ===
Compared with other neighboring countries, Guyana ranks poorly in regard to basic health indicators. In 1998, life expectancy at birth was estimated at 66.0 years for Guyana, which is much less than surrounding countries. The [[infant mortality]] rate in 1998 was 24.2. Maternal mortality rates in Guyana are also relatively high, being estimated at 124.6/1000 for 1998.
Guyana is divided into four natural regions.<ref>{{Citation|last=Brawer|first=Moshe|title=Guyana|date=1991|url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-12579-1_21|work=Atlas of South America|pages=114–119|editor-last=Brawer|editor-first=Moshe|place=London|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-1-349-12579-1_21|isbn=978-1-349-12579-1|access-date=2023-02-27|archive-date=28 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240628023002/https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-349-12579-1_21|url-status=live}}</ref> These are:
Although Guyana's health profile falls short in comparison with many of its Caribbean neighbours, there has been remarkable progress since 1988, and the Ministry of Health is working to upgrade conditions, procedures, and facilities.


# Low Coastal Plain
The leading causes of mortality for all age groups are cerebrovascular diseases (11.6%); ischemic heart disease (9.9%); immunity disorders (7.1%); diseases of the respiratory system (6.8%); diseases of pulmonary circulation and other forms of heart disease (6.6%); endocrine and metabolic diseases (5.5%); diseases of other parts of the Digestive System (5.2%); violence (5.1%); certain condition originating in the prenatal period (4.3%); and hypertensive diseases (3.9%).
# Hilly Sand and Clay
The ten leading causes of morbidity for all age groups are, in decreasing order: malaria; acute respiratory infections; symptoms, signs and ill defined or unknown conditions; hypertension; accident and injuries; acute diarrhoeal disease; diabetes mellitus; worm infestation; rheumatic arthritis; and mental and nervous disorders.
# Highland Region
# Interior Savannahs


== International and regional relations ==
This morbidity profile indicates that it can be improved substantially through enhanced preventive health care, better education on health issues, more widespread access to potable water and sanitation services, and increased access to basic health care of good quality. A number of non-governmental organizations, including Health and Educational Relief for Guyana (HERG, INC) and Guyana Medical Relief (GMR, INC) are currently working to address these issues by improving healthcare access and educational infrastructure.
=== Boundary disputes ===
[[File:Essequiborivermap.png|thumb|250px|right|Map of Guyana with the disputed territories incorporated, showing the [[Essequibo River]] and (shaded dark) the river's drainage basin. Venezuela claims territory up to the western bank of the river. The historical claim by the UK included the river basin well into current-day Venezuela.]]
{{See also|Schomburgk Line|Borders of Suriname}}
Guyana is in [[Territorial dispute|border disputes]] with both Suriname, which claims the area east of the left bank of the [[Corentyne River]] and the New River in southwestern Suriname, and Venezuela which claims the land west of the Essequibo River, once the [[Essequibo (colony)|Dutch colony of Essequibo]] as part of what they call "Guayana Essequiba".<ref name="foxlatino">{{cite web|title=Guyana ponders judicial action in border dispute with Venezuela|url=http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2014/12/23/guyana-ponders-judicial-action-in-border-dispute-with-venezuela|work=FoxNews Latino|date=23 December 2014|access-date=22 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222140437/http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2014/12/23/guyana-ponders-judicial-action-in-border-dispute-with-venezuela/|archive-date=22 February 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guyanachronicle.com/ARCHIVES/archive%2017-06-07.html|title=Tribunal decision tentatively set for August|access-date=9 July 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090406062803/http://www.guyanachronicle.com/ARCHIVES/archive%2017-06-07.html|archive-date=6 April 2009}}. guyanachronicle.com, Archives for 17 June 2007</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://landofsixpeoples.com/news701/nk0702053.html|title=Guyana to experience 'massive' oil exploration this year|publisher=Landofsixpeoples.com|date=5 February 2007|access-date=2 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824175352/http://landofsixpeoples.com/news701/nk0702053.html|archive-date=24 August 2010|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.caribbean360.com/News/Business/Stories/2007/04/27/NEWS0000004303.html|title=News in the Caribbean|publisher=Caribbean360.com|date=27 April 2007|access-date=2 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929100725/http://www.caribbean360.com/News/Business/Stories/2007/04/27/NEWS0000004303.html|archive-date=29 September 2007}}</ref> The maritime<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20141112212835/http://www.islandjournal.net/reportc.htm?section=caribbeannewsnow&story=Foreign-affairs-minister-reiterates-Guyana%27s-territorial-sovereignty&id=21520&catid=13 Foreign affairs minister reiterates Guyana's territorial sovereignty]}}. CaribbeanNetNews.com (17 February 2010).</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/20130410130121/http://www.antiguaobserver.com/?p=24790 POINT OF CLARIFICATION: Guyana clears air on Suriname border talk]. [[Caribbean News Agency]] (17 February 2010).</ref> component of the territorial dispute with Suriname was arbitrated by the [[United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea]], and a ruling was announced on 21 September 2007. The ruling concerning the [[Caribbean Sea]] north of both nations found both parties violated treaty obligations and declined to order any compensation to either party.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pca-cpa.org/showpage.asp?pag_id=1147|title=official site of the Permanent Court of Arbitration|publisher=Pca-cpa.org|access-date=2 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208082359/http://www.pca-cpa.org/showpage.asp?pag_id=1147|archive-date=8 February 2013}}</ref>


When the British surveyed British Guiana in 1840, they included the entire [[Cuyuni River]] basin within the colony, to the protest of Venezuela which claimed all lands west of the Essequibo River. In 1897 in [[Washington, DC]], both countries accepted the "''Treaty between Great Britain and the United States of Venezuela Respecting the Settlement of the Boundary between the Colony of British Guiana and the United States of Venezuela.''" According to the Treaty of Washington (1897), the final decision by the [[Arbitral tribunal|arbitration tribunal]] in [[Paris, France|Paris]] would be a "''full, perfect, and final settlement''"<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://peacemaker.un.org/sites/peacemaker.un.org/files/GB-VE_970202_Treaty%20of%20Arbitration.pdf|title=Treaty of arbitration between Venezuela and Great Britain, signed at Washington and dated the second day of February, 1897|access-date=30 October 2013|archive-date=1 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101020005/http://peacemaker.un.org/sites/peacemaker.un.org/files/GB-VE_970202_Treaty%20of%20Arbitration.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> to the border dispute. In 1899, the tribunal issued the [[Paris Arbitral Award]], granting a majority of the disputed territory to British Guiana. Following the settlement, an exact border was demarcated by markers and coordinates by a Venezuelan and British boundary commission in accordance with International law. Venezuela brought up again the settled claim, during the 1960s cold war period, and during Guyana's Independence period. In 1962, Venezuelan President [[Rómulo Betancourt]] resuscitated Venezuela's claim to the disputed territory by declaring the 1899 arbitration award null and void.<ref name=":4" /> The result of this complaint led to the [[Geneva Agreement (1966)|Treaty of Geneva of 1966]], which was signed by the Governments of Guyana, the United Kingdom and Venezuela.<ref name="Ishmael">[http://www.guyana.org/features/trail_diplomacy.html Ishmael, Odeen (1998, rev. 2006) "The Trail Of Diplomacy: A Documentary History of the Guyana-Venezuela Border Issue"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090628103711/http://www.guyana.org/features/trail_diplomacy.html |date=28 June 2009}} Ishmael was Ambassador of Guyana to Venezuela when this was written.</ref> Venezuela calls this region "Zona en Reclamación" (Reclamation Zone) and Venezuelan maps of the national territory routinely include it, drawing it in with dashed lines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.a-venezuela.com/mapas/map/html/politico.html|title=Mapa Politico de Venezuela|publisher=A-venezuela.com|access-date=2 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100220105637/http://www.a-venezuela.com/mapas/map/html/politico.html|archive-date=20 February 2010}}</ref>
Guyana has experienced an upswing in violent crime and homicide in 2008 while the numbers of murders reported actually dropped in 2007 over the previous few years, with a murder rate of 15.1 people for each 100,000, in contrast to 2008 (up to the end of July) that number has risen to 26 per 100,000 <ref>[http://www.stabroeknews.com/letters/guyana%E2%80%99s-murder-rate-is-up-this-year/ Guyana’s murder rate is up this year]</ref> similar to the rate experienced in 2003.

Guyana suffers from the highest [[suicide rate]] of any South American country. Guyana Health Minister Leslie Ramsammy estimates that at least 200&nbsp;people commit suicide each year in Guyana, or 27.2&nbsp;people for each 100,000&nbsp;people each year.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/caribbean/news/story/2008/01/080110_nibjan10.shtml BBCCaribbean.com]</ref>
In 2023, [[2023 Venezuelan referendum|a referendum]] was held in Venezuela which saw 95% of voters approve creating a new state in the disputed area with Guyana's President Irfaan Ali calling it a direct threat on the nation's sovereignty. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro claims wide support for the move, despite only around 10% of the Venezuelan voting population taking part in the referendum.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2023-12-06|title=Essequibo: Venezuela moves to claim Guyana-controlled region|language=en-GB|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-67635646|access-date=2023-12-07|archive-date=7 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207204335/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-67635646|url-status=live}}</ref> Both the US and Brazil made signs of supporting Guyana in the territorial dispute, with Brazil sending troops to their border with the Essequibo region.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Hernández|first1=Osmary|last2=Almánzar|first2=Fernando|last3=Alberti|first3=Mia|date=2023-12-06|title=Venezuela's president orders creation of new state and map including land from Guyana|url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/06/americas/venezuelas-president-orders-creation-of-new-state-and-map-including-land-from-guyana/index.html|access-date=2023-12-07|website=CNN|language=en|archive-date=7 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207211114/https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/06/americas/venezuelas-president-orders-creation-of-new-state-and-map-including-land-from-guyana/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[US Southern Command]] held air exercises with [[Guyana Defence Force]]s in Guyana in December 2023.<ref name= guyanaExercises2023 >From AFP News [https://www.barrons.com/news/us-announces-military-air-exercises-in-guyana-amid-venezuela-tensions-3bca2752 (7 Dec 2023) US Holds Military Exercises In Guyana As Border Tensions Soar] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207233035/https://www.barrons.com/news/us-announces-military-air-exercises-in-guyana-amid-venezuela-tensions-3bca2752 |date=7 December 2023 }}</ref>
[[File:Special Map of british Guiana, illustrating the Venezuela-Guiana boundary dispute 1895-96 - btv1b8441757p (1 of 2).jpg|thumb|250px|right|Illustration of the [[Guyana–Venezuela territorial dispute|Guiana-Venezuela border dispute]], including western boundary ceded to Venezuela, published by Scottish cartographer [[George Philip (cartographer)|George Philip]] in 1897.]]

Specific small disputed areas involving Guyana are [[Ankoko Island]] with Venezuela; Corentyne River<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.islandjournal.net/reportc.htm?section=caribbeannewsnow&story=Guyana-and-Suriname-border-dispute-continues-despite-UN-findings&id=11740&catid=13|title=Guyana and Suriname border dispute continues despite UN findings|access-date=15 December 2008|first=Oscar|last=Ramjeet|date=28 October 2008|work=Caribbean Net News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228020436/http://www.islandjournal.net/reportc.htm?section=caribbeannewsnow&story=Guyana-and-Suriname-border-dispute-continues-despite-UN-findings&id=11740&catid=13|archive-date=28 February 2014|url-status=usurped}}</ref> with Suriname; and [[Tigri Area]] or [[New River Triangle]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.stabroeknews.com/2008/opinion/letters/10/24/there-is-no-agreement-recognizing-suriname%E2%80%99s-sovereignty-over-the-corentyne-river/|title=There is no agreement recognizing Suriname's sovereignty over the Corentyne River|access-date=15 December 2008|first=Carolyn|last=Rodrigues-Birkett|date=24 October 2008|work=Stabroek Newspaper|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130203002333/http://www.stabroeknews.com/2008/opinion/letters/10/24/there-is-no-agreement-recognizing-suriname%E2%80%99s-sovereignty-over-the-corentyne-river/|archive-date=3 February 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> with Suriname. In 1967 a Surinamese survey team was found in the New River Triangle and was forcibly removed. In August 1969 a patrol of the [[Guyana Defence Force]] found a survey camp and a partially completed airstrip inside the triangle, and documented evidence of the Surinamese intention to occupy the entire disputed area. After an exchange of gunfire, the [[Surinamese people|Surinamese]] were driven from the triangle.

=== The Organisation of American States (OAS) ===
Guyana entered the [[Organisation of American States]] in 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oas.org/en/member_states/member_state.asp?sCode=GUY|title=OAS – Organization of American States: Democracy for peace, security, and development|last=OAS|date=1 August 2009|website=oas.org|access-date=3 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014191244/http://www.oas.org/en/member_states/member_state.asp?sCode=GUY|archive-date=14 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Indigenous Leaders Summits of America (ILSA) ===
With Guyana having many groups of indigenous persons and given the geographical location of the country, the contributions of the Guyanese to the OAS respecting indigenous people may be significant.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oas.org/en/topics/indigenous_peoples.asp|title=OAS – Organization of American States: Democracy for peace, security, and development|last=OAS|date=1 August 2009|website=oas.org|access-date=3 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222054758/http://www.oas.org/en/topics/indigenous_peoples.asp|archive-date=22 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

The position of the OAS respecting indigenous persons developed over the years. "The "OAS has supported and participated in the organisation of Indigenous Leaders Summits of Americas (ILSA)"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.summit-americas.org/cs_ind.html|title=Indigenous Peoples|website=summit-americas.org|access-date=3 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120413215714/http://www.summit-americas.org/cs_ind.html|archive-date=13 April 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Draft American Declaration of the Rights of the Indigenous Persons appears to be a working document<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oas.org/consejo/CAJP/Indigenous%20special%20session.asp#Special|title=Events OAS Indigenous Special Events|website=oas.org|access-date=3 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170104091030/http://www.oas.org/consejo/CAJP/Indigenous%20special%20session.asp#Special|archive-date=4 January 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Agreements which affect financial relationships ===
==== The Double Taxation Relief (CARICOM) Treaty 1994 ====
At a CARICOM Meeting, representatives of Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana respectively signed The Double Taxation Relief (CARICOM) Treaty 1994 on 19 August 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ird.gov.tt/Media/Default/IRDTreaties/DTT-Caricom--1994.pdf|title=IRD Trinidad and Tobago – CARICOM Treaties|website=ird.gov.tt|access-date=27 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507154606/http://ird.gov.tt/Media/Default/IRDTreaties/DTT-Caricom--1994.pdf|archive-date=7 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

This treaty covered taxes, residence, tax jurisdictions, capital gains, business profits, interest, dividends, royalties and other areas.

==== FATCA ====
On 30 June 2014, Guyana signed a Model 1 agreement with the United States of America in relation to the [[Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act]] (FATCA).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/tax-policy/treaties/Pages/FATCA.aspx|title=Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)|website=treasury.gov|access-date=16 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113122755/https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/tax-policy/treaties/Pages/FATCA.aspx|archive-date=13 January 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
This Model 1 agreement includes a reference to the Tax Information Exchange Agreement (Clause 3) which was signed on 22 July 1992 in Georgetown, Guyana intending to exchange tax information on an automatic basis.

== Infrastructure and telecommunications ==
=== Transport ===
{{Main|Transport in Guyana}}
[[File:LethemBridge.jpg|thumb|Cross-border bridge from Guyana to Brazil near [[Lethem, Guyana|Lethem]]]]
There are a total of {{cvt|116|mi|km|order=flip}} of railway, all dedicated to ore transport. There are {{cvt|4952|mi|km|order=flip}} of highway, of which {{cvt|367|mi|km|order=flip}} are paved. Navigable waterways extend {{cvt|669|mi|km|order=flip}}, including the Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers.
There are ports at Georgetown, Port Kaituma, and [[New Amsterdam, Guyana|New Amsterdam]]. There are two international airports ([[Cheddi Jagan International Airport]], Timehri and Eugene F. Correia International Airport (formerly [[Ogle Airport]]); along with about 90 airstrips, nine of which have paved runways. Guyana, Suriname and the [[Falkland Islands]] are the only three regions in South America that [[drive on the left]].

=== Electricity ===
{{Main|Electricity sector in Guyana}}
The electricity sector in Guyana is dominated by [[Guyana Power and Light]] (GPL), the state-owned vertically integrated utility. Although the country has a large potential for hydroelectric and [[bagasse]]-fuelled power generation, most of its 226 [[Megawatt|MW]] of installed capacity correspond to diesel-engine driven generators.<ref>{{cite book|publisher=World Bank|date=2007|url=http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2007/10/05/000020439_20071005091246/Rendered/PDF/359511GY0V2.pdf|title=Guyana Investment Climate Assessment, Vol II|pages=71, 73|access-date=18 July 2020|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181330/http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2007/10/05/000020439_20071005091246/Rendered/PDF/359511GY0V2.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

Several initiatives are in place to improve [[Hinterland energy in Guyana|energy access in the hinterland]].


== Culture ==
== Culture ==
{{Main|Culture of Guyana}}
{| align="right" class="wikitable"

|+ <span style="font-size:115%;">Holidays</span></tr>
{{See also|Literature of Guyana|Music of Guyana}}
!width="120px"| Date !!width="160px"| Name </tr>
{| style="float:right;" class="wikitable"
| 1 January || [[New Year's Day]] </tr>
|+ <span style="font-size:115%;">Holidays</span>
| 15 February || [[Hangslap Day (Regional)]] </tr>
|-
| 23 February || [[Mashramani-Republic Day]]</tr>
| 1 January || [[New Year's Day]]
| variable || [[Phagwah]] </tr>
|-
| variable || [[Eid-ul-Fitr]] </tr>
| variable || [[Eid-e-Milad|Youm Un Nabi]] </tr>
| Spring || [[Youman Nabi]] ([[Mawlid]])
|-
| variable || [[Good Friday]] </tr>
| 23 February || [[Republic Day]]{{\}}[[Mashramani]]
| variable || [[Easter Monday]] </tr>
|-
| 1 May || [[Labour Day]] </tr>
| 5 May || [[Indian Arrival Day]]</tr>
| March || [[Phagwah]] ([[Holi]])
|-
| 26 May || [[Independence Day]] </tr>
| First Monday in July || [[CARICOM Day]] </tr>
| March{{\}}April || [[Good Friday]]
|-
| 1 August || [[Emancipation Day]] </tr>
| 31 August || [[Carifest]] </tr>
| March{{\}}April || [[Easter Sunday]]
|-
| variable || [[Diwali]] </tr>
| March{{\}}April || [[Easter Monday]]
| 25 December || [[Christmas]] </tr>
|-
| {{nowrap|26 December [[27 December|or 27]]}} || [[Boxing Day]]</tr>
| 1 May || [[Labour Day]]
|-
| 5 May || [[Indian Arrival Day]]
|-
| 26 May || [[Independence Day]]
|-
| First Monday in July || [[CARICOM Day]]
|-
| 1 August || [[Emancipation Day]]
|-
| October{{\}}November || [[Diwali]]
|-
| 25 December || [[Christmas]]
|-
| {{nowrap|26 or 27 December}} || [[Boxing Day]]
|-
|-
| Varies || [[Eid al-Fitr]]
|-
| Varies || [[Eid al-Adha]]
|}
|}
{{main|Culture of Guyana}}
{{seealso|Literature of Guyana|Music of Guyana}}
Guyana, along with Suriname, French Guiana, and Brazil, is one of the four non-Hispanic nations in South America. Guyana's culture is very similar to that of the English-speaking Caribbean, and has historically been tided to the English speaking Caribbean as part of the British Empire when it became a possession in the nineteenth century. Guyana is a founding member of the [[Caricom]] (Caribbean Community) economic bloc and also the home of the Bloc's Headquarters, the CARICOM Secretariat.


Guyana's culture is very similar to that of the English-speaking Caribbean, and has historically been tied to the English-speaking Caribbean as part of the British Empire when it became a possession in the nineteenth century.
Its geographical location, its sparsely populated rain forest regions, and its substantial Amerindian population differentiate it from English-speaking Caribbean countries. Its blend of Indo-Guyanese (East Indian) and Afro-Guyanese (African) cultures gives it similarities to Trinidad and distinguishes it from other parts of the Americas. Guyana shares similar interests with the islands in the [[West Indies]], such as food, festive events, music, sports, etc.


The current Guyanese culture began to develop when immigrants (some of them forced, others voluntary) adapted and converged with the dominant British culture. Slavery eradicated much of the distinction between differing African cultures as they were supplanted by British culture, which encouraged the adoption of Christianity and the values of British colonists; this laid the foundations of today's Afro-Guyanese culture. Arriving later and under somewhat more favourable circumstances, Indian immigrants were subjected to less assimilation, and they preserved more aspects of Indian culture, such as religion, cuisine, music, festivals, and clothing.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Guyana – Society|url=http://countrystudies.us/guyana/22.htm|access-date=2021-03-04|website=countrystudies.us|archive-date=17 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417170255/http://countrystudies.us/guyana/22.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
Guyana plays international cricket as a part of the [[West Indian cricket team|West Indies cricket team]], and the [[Guyanese cricket team|Guyana team]] plays [[first class cricket]] against other nations of the Caribbean. In March and April 2007 Guyana co-hosted the [[Cricket World Cup]]. In addition to its CARICOM membership, Guyana is a member of [[CONCACAF]], the international football federation for North and [[Central America]] and the Caribbean.

Guyana's geographical location, its sparsely populated rain-forest regions, and its substantial Amerindian population differentiate it from English-speaking Caribbean countries. Its blend of the two dominant cultures, Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese, gives it similarities to [[Trinidad and Tobago]] and [[Suriname]], and distinguishes it from other parts of the Americas. Guyana shares similar interests with the islands in the West Indies, such as food, festive events, music, sports, etc.


Events include [[Mashramani]] (Mash), [[Phagwah]] ([[Holi]]), and [[Deepavali]] ([[Diwali]]).
Events include [[Mashramani]] (Mash), [[Phagwah]] ([[Holi]]), and [[Deepavali]] ([[Diwali]]).
{{clear}}


==Notable people==
=== Media ===
{{main|National Communications Network, Guyana|Radio in Guyana|List of newspapers in Guyana}}
*[[David Case]], Highest Ranking Black Officer in the British Armed Forces.
*[[Valerie Amos]], British Peer and member of the [[House of Lords]] in the United Kingdom.
*[[Eddy Grant]], musician
*[[Sean Patrick Thomas]], actor
*[[Clive Lloyd]], former professional cricketer
*[[Martin Carter]], writer and poet
*[[Shakira Caine]], former Miss Guyana and wife of actor [[Michael Caine]]
*[[Shivnarine Chanderpaul]], Professional Cricketer for the [[West Indies Cricket Team]]
*[[Dave Baksh]], Former Guitarist for the Band [[Sum41]]
*[[E. R. Braithwaite]], writer of the novel ''To Sir, With Love''
*[[Natural Black]], musician; Reggae singer with several hits
*[[Ivan Van Sertima]], Historian, author, and professor of Africana Studies, Rutgers University, NJ
*[[CCH Pounder]], Emmy nominated actress and activist
*[[Abiola Abrams]], TV presenter and novelist


==See also==
=== Landmarks ===
[[File:20191121 Guyana 0048 Georgetown sRGB (49295795336).jpg|thumb|upright|[[St George's Cathedral, Georgetown]]]]
{{portal|Guyana|Flag of Guyana.svg}}
{{InterWiki|English language|code=w}}
{{main|Outline of Guyana}}


*[[St. George's Cathedral, Georgetown|St George's Anglican Cathedral]]: A historic Anglican Cathedral made of wood.<ref name="wonders"/>
*[[Index of Guyana-related articles]]
*[[Demerara Harbour Bridge]]: The world's fourth-longest floating bridge.<ref name="mon-3">{{cite web|url=https://ntg.gov.gy/regional-monuments/region-3/|title=Region 3 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara)|website=National Trust of Guyana|access-date=17 December 2021|archive-date=26 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211126110804/https://ntg.gov.gy/regional-monuments/region-3/|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[List of international rankings]]
*[[Berbice Bridge]]: The world's sixth-longest floating bridge.
*[[Secretariat of the Caribbean Community|Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Building]]: Houses the headquarters of the largest and most powerful economic union in the Caribbean.
*[[Providence Stadium]]: Situated on Providence on the east bank of the Demerara River and built in time for the ICC World Cup 2007, it is the largest sports stadium in the country. It is also near the Providence Mall, forming a major spot for leisure in Guyana.
*[[Arthur Chung Conference Centre]]:<ref name="Ministry of Public Telecommunications">{{cite web|title=Arthur Chung Conference Centre|website=Ministry of Public Telecommunications {{pipe}} Republic of Guyana|date=6 March 2017|url=https://mopt.gov.gy/agencies/arthur-chung-conference-centre/|access-date=10 December 2019|archive-date=23 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923122222/https://mopt.gov.gy/agencies/arthur-chung-conference-centre/|url-status=live}}</ref> Presented as a gift from the People's Republic of China to the Government of Guyana. It is the only one of its kind in the country.
*[[Stabroek Market]]: A large cast-iron colonial structure that looked like a statue was located next to the Demerara River.<ref name="wonders"/>
*[[Georgetown City Hall]]: A beautiful wooden structure also from the colonial era.<ref name="wonders"/>
*[[Takutu River Bridge]]: A bridge across the Takutu River, connecting Lethem in Guyana to Bonfim in Brazil.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Takutu Bridge to open Friday|work=Kaieteur News|date=29 July 2009|url=https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2009/07/29/takutu-bridge-to-open-friday/|access-date=18 July 2020|archive-date=26 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126152527/https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2009/07/29/takutu-bridge-to-open-friday/|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Umana Yana]]: An Amerindian benab, that is a national monument built in 1972, for a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Non-Aligned nations (It was rebuilt in 2016).<ref name="natmon">{{cite web|url=https://ntg.gov.gy/national-monuments/|title=National Monuments|website=National Trust of Guyana|access-date=17 December 2021|archive-date=17 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211217090532/https://ntg.gov.gy/national-monuments/|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Shell Beach, Guyana|Shell Beach]]: Approximately 140&nbsp;km long beach. In some parts beach consists of pure shells, very high biological diversity. Important nesting site for 8 species of sea turtles.<ref name="wonders">{{cite web|url=https://ntg.gov.gy/national-monuments/wonders-of-guyana-2/|title=Wonders of Guyana|website=National Trust of Guyana|access-date=17 December 2021|archive-date=17 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211217090530/https://ntg.gov.gy/national-monuments/wonders-of-guyana-2/|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Parliament Building of Guyana]]: Parliament Building currently houses the seat of the National Assembly of the Government of Guyana. Located in Stabroek, facing Brickdam and bordered by Hadfield Street, High Street, and Cornhill Street <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ntg.gov.gy/monument/parliament-building/|title=Parliament Building – National Trust|access-date=5 February 2023|archive-date=5 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205183525/https://ntg.gov.gy/monument/parliament-building/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Sports ===
{{See also|Cricket in the West Indies}}
[[File:Providence Stadium outside.jpg|thumb|left|Providence Stadium as seen from the East Bank Highway]]

The major sports in Guyana are [[Guyana national cricket team|cricket]] (Guyana is part of the [[West Indies cricket team]] for international cricket purposes<ref>{{cite web|title=Composition and countries|url=http://www.windiescricket.com/|work=W.I Cricket team|publisher=West Indies Cricket Board|access-date=27 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103005917/http://windiescricket.com/|archive-date=3 January 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>), [[Basketball in Guyana|basketball]], [[association football|football]] and volleyball.<ref>{{cite web|title=SPORTS, LITERATURE|url=http://www.guyana.org/Handbook/sprtslit.html|publisher=Guyana News and Information|access-date=30 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111034/http://www.guyana.org/Handbook/sprtslit.html|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Minor sports include [[beach cricket|softball cricket (beach cricket)]], field hockey, [[netball]], [[rounders]], [[lawn tennis]], table tennis, [[boxing]], [[squash (sport)|squash]], [[Guyana national rugby union team|rugby]], [[horse racing]] and a few others.

Guyana played host to [[international cricket]] matches as part of the [[2007 Cricket World Cup]] (CWC 2007). The new 15,000-seat [[Providence Stadium]], also referred to as Guyana National Stadium, was built in time for the World Cup and was ready for the beginning of play on 28 March. At the first international game of CWC 2007 at the stadium, [[Lasith Malinga]] of the [[Sri Lanka national cricket team|Sri Lankan team]] took four wickets in four consecutive deliveries.<ref>{{cite news|title=Providence stadium – Records and statistics|url=http://www.cricketworld4u.com/grounds/00042.php|access-date=27 November 2013|newspaper=Cricket World 4U|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202232539/http://www.cricketworld4u.com/grounds/00042.php|archive-date=2 December 2013}}</ref>

[[Guyana's national basketball team]] has traditionally been one of the top contenders at the [[CaribeBasket]], the top international basketball tournament for countries in the [[Caribbean]].

For international football purposes, [[Guyana national football team|Guyana]] is part of CONCACAF. The highest league in their club system is the [[GFF Elite League]]. [[Guyana national football team|Guyana's national football team]] has never qualified for the [[FIFA World Cup]]; however, they qualified for the [[Caribbean Cup]] in [[1991 Caribbean Cup|1991]], finishing fourth, and [[2007 Caribbean Cup|2007]]. In 2019, they qualified for the [[CONCACAF Gold Cup]] for the first time, after finishing seventh in the [[2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualifying|qualifiers]]. They finished third in Group D, having lost two matches and drawn one.

Guyana also has five courses for horse racing.<ref>{{cite news|last=Service|first=K News|title=Guyana Horse Racing Authority continues its drive to regularize the sport|url=http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2013/07/11/guyana-horse-racing-authority-continues-its-drive-to-regularize-the-sport/|access-date=27 November 2013|newspaper=Kaiteur News|date=11 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203002449/http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2013/07/11/guyana-horse-racing-authority-continues-its-drive-to-regularize-the-sport/|archive-date=3 December 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{clear}}
{{clear}}
<!-- Please place links to all topics directly related to Guyana in the [[Index of Guyana-related topics]] -->


Guyana featured a [[beach volleyball]] team at the [[2019 South American Beach Games]].<ref>{{cite news|first1=Royston|last1=Alkins|title=Guyana drops first two matches at SA Beach Volleyball Championships|url=https://www.stabroeknews.com/2019/03/16/sports/guyana-drops-first-two-matches-at-sa-beach-volleyball-championships/|access-date=30 April 2021|work=[[Stabroek News]]|date=16 March 2019|archive-date=6 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706093228/https://www.stabroeknews.com/2019/03/16/sports/guyana-drops-first-two-matches-at-sa-beach-volleyball-championships/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}


== Further reading ==
== See also ==
{{Portal|Guyana|Caribbean}}
* Stanley E. Brock, ''All the Cowboys Were Indians'' and ''Jungle Cowboy''
*[[Index of Guyana-related articles]]
* Donald Haack, ''Bush Pilot In Diamond Country''
*[[Outline of Guyana]]
* Hamish McInnes, ''Climb To The Lost World'' (1974)
* Andrew Salkey, ''Georgetown Journal'' (1970)
* Marion Morrison, ''Guyana'' (Enchantment of the World Series)
* Bob Temple, ''Guyana''
* Noel C. Bacchus, ''Guyana Farewell: A Recollection of Childhood in a Faraway Place''
* Marcus Colchester, ''Guyana: Fragile Frontier''
* Matthew French Young, ''Guyana: My Fifty Years in the Guyanese Wilds''
* Margaret Bacon, ''Journey to Guyana''
* Father Andrew Morrison SJ, ''Justice: The Struggle For Democracy in Guyana 1952-1992''
* Vere T. Daly, ''The Making of Guyana''
* D. Graham Burnett, ''Masters of All They Surveyed: Exploration, Geography and a British El Dorado''
* Ovid Abrams, ''Metegee: The History and Culture of Guyana''
* [[Evelyn Waugh]], ''Ninety-Two Days''
* [[Gerald Durrell]], ''Three Singles To Adventure''
* Colin Henfrey, ''Through Indian Eyes: A Journey Among the Indian Tribes of Guiana''
* Stephen G. Rabe, ''US Intervention in British Guiana: A Cold War Story''
* [[Charles Waterton]], ''Wanderings in South America''
* [[David Attenborough]], ''Zoo Quest to Guiana'' (Lutterworth Press, London: 1956)


== Explanatory notes ==
==External links==
{{notelist}}
{{External links|date=May 2009}}
;Travel Guides
{{sisterlinks|Guyana}}
*{{wikiatlas|Guyana}}
*{{wikitravel|Guyana}}
; Government
*[http://www.op.gov.gy President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana] - official website
*[http://www.parliament.gov.gy National Assembly]
*{{CIA World Factbook link|gy|Guyana}}
*[http://www.guyana-tourism.com/ The Guyana Tourism Authority] (GTA)
*[http://www.guyana.org/govt/US-declassifed-documents-1964-1968.html Declassified US State Department documents detailing covert action from the start of postwar independence]


== References ==
; General
{{reflist}}
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1211325.stm Country Profile] from the [[BBC News]]
*[http://www.britannica.com/nations/Guyana Guyana] from the [[Encyclopaedia Britannica]]
*[http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/govpubs/for/guyana.htm Guyana] at ''UCB Libraries GovPubs''
*{{dmoz|Regional/South_America/Guyana}}
*[http://www.sdnp.org.gy SDNP Guyana] - Guyanese directory and host to ministerial sites
*[http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1133.html Guyana<!-- bot-generated title -->] at travel.state.gov - US State Department Consular Information Sheet for Guyana with entry requirements and travel information and warnings


== Further reading ==
; News media
{{refbegin}}
*[http://www.guyana.cc Guyana Portal]
* {{cite book|last=Brock|first=Stanley E.|author-link=Stan Brock (philanthropist)|title=All the Cowboys Were Indians|edition=Commemorative, illustrated (reprint of ''Jungle Cowboy'')|year=1999|publisher=Synergy South, Inc|location=Lenoir City, TN|isbn=978-1-892329-00-4|oclc=51089880|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dtUcPQAACAAJ|access-date=7 January 2010|archive-date=29 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200829183042/https://books.google.com/books?id=dtUcPQAACAAJ|url-status=live}}
*[http://www.guyanaca.com Guyana and the Caribbean News and Information]
* {{cite book|last=Brock|first=Stanley E.|author-link=Stan Brock (philanthropist)|title=Jungle Cowboy|edition=illustrated|year=1972|publisher=Robert Hale Ltd|location=London|isbn=978-0-7091-2972-1|oclc=650259|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=awK7PAAACAAJ|access-date=7 January 2010|archive-date=25 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200825000731/https://books.google.com/books?id=awK7PAAACAAJ|url-status=live}}
*[http://www.guyanachronicle.com/ ''The Guyana Chronicle''], local daily, government-run newspaper
* {{Cite book|last=Haack|first=Donald|title=Bush Pilot in Diamond Country|date=2004|publisher=Pure Heart Press|isbn=978-1-930907-49-2|location=Charlotte, N.C}}
*[http://www.kaieteurnewsgy.com/ ''Kaieteur News''], local daily, independent newspaper
* {{Cite book|last=MacInnes|first=Hamish|author-link=Hamish MacInnes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CAtEDwAAQBAJ|title=Climb to the Lost World|date=1976|publisher=[[Penguin Books]]|isbn=978-0-14-003444-8|location=Middlesex}}
*[http://www.stabroeknews.com/ ''Stabroek News''], local daily independent newspaper. Updated daily and maintains archives for 7&nbsp;days.
* {{Cite book|last=Salkey|first=Andrew|title=Georgetown Journal: A Caribbean Writer's Journey from London Via Port of Spain to Georgetown, Guyana, 1970|date=1972|publisher=[[New Beacon Books]]|isbn=978-0-901241-13-9|location=London}}
*[http://www.voiceofguyana.com Voice of Guyana International], independent owned Internet radio
* {{Cite book|last=Morrison|first=Marion|title=Guyana|date=2003|publisher=Children's Press|isbn=978-0-516-22377-3|series=Enchantment of the world|location=New York}}
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/caribbean/news/story/2008/01/080110_nibjan10.shtml BBC Caribbean News] Guyana Suicide rates
* {{Cite book|last=Temple|first=Bob|title=Guyana|date=2016|publisher=Mason Crest|isbn=978-1-4222-3300-9|series=Discovering South America. History, politics, and culture|location=Philadelphia}}
*[http://canadianworldtraveller.com/Destinations_&_Articles_Guyana_Fall_08.htm Canadian World Traveller]
* {{Cite book|last=Bacchus|first=Noël Compton|title=Guyana Farewell: A Recollection of Childhood in a Faraway Place|publisher=N. Bacchus|year=1995|isbn=978-0-962-41921-8|location=New York|lccn=96102460}}
* {{Cite book|last=Colchester|first=Marcus|title=Guyana: Fragile Frontier|date=1997|publisher=Latin American Bureau|isbn=978-0-85345-971-2|location=London}}
* {{Cite book|last=Young|first=Matthew French|title=Guyana, The Lost El Dorado: a Report on My Work and Life Experiences in Guyana, 1925-1980|date=1998|publisher=[[Peepal Tree Press]]|isbn=978-1-900715-25-6|location=Leeds, England}}
* {{Cite book|last=Bacon|first=Margaret|title=Journey to Guyana|date=1988|publisher=Hill House|isbn=978-0-9513565-0-0|location=Highworth}}
* {{Cite book|last=Morrison|first=Andrew|title=Justice: The Struggle for Democracy in Guyana, 1952-1992|date=1998|publisher=s.n|isbn=978-976-8157-52-2|location=Guyana}}
* {{cite book|last=Daly|first=Vere T.|title=The Making of Guyana|year=1974|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=978-0-333-14482-4|oclc=1257829|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UOFrAAAAMAAJ|access-date=7 January 2010|archive-date=11 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511112421/http://books.google.com/books?id=UOFrAAAAMAAJ|url-status=live}}
* {{Cite book|last=Burnett|first=D. Graham|author-link=D. Graham Burnett|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CLNJkVbYMP8C|title=Masters of All They Surveyed: Exploration, Geography, and a British El Dorado|date=2000|publisher=[[University of Chicago Press]]|isbn=978-0-226-08120-5|location=Chicago}}
* {{Cite book|last=Abrams|first=Ovid|title=Metegee: The History and Culture of Guyana|date=1998|publisher=Ashanti Books|isbn=978-0-966-07074-3|location=Queens Village, NY}}
* {{cite book|last=Waugh|first=Evelyn|author-link=Evelyn Waugh|title=Ninety-two days: The account of a tropical journey through British Guiana and part of Brazil|year=1934|publisher=Farrar & Rinehart|location=New York|oclc=3000330|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ed4YAAAAYAAJ|access-date=7 January 2010|archive-date=11 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511112449/http://books.google.com/books?id=Ed4YAAAAYAAJ|url-status=live}}
* {{Cite book|last=Durrell|first=Gerald|title=Three Singles to Adventure|title-link=Three Singles to Adventure|last2=Thompson|first2=Ralph|publisher=[[Penguin Books]]|year=1969|isbn=978-0-14-002082-3|location=Harmondsworth|ol=7345923M|orig-date=1954}}
* {{Cite book|last=Jagan|first=Cheddi|title=The West on Trial: My Fight for Guyana's Freedom|publisher=[[International Publishers]]|year=1967|location=New York|lccn=67003122}}
* {{Cite book|last=Jagan|first=Cheddi|title=My Fight For Guyana's Freedom|last2=Jagan-Brancier|first2=Nadira|last3=Ishmael|first3=M. A. Odeen|last4=Jagan|first4=Cheddi|date=1998|publisher=Harpy|isbn=978-0-9684059-0-1|location=Milton, Ont., Canada}}
* {{Cite book|last=Henfrey|first=Colin|url=https://archive.org/details/throughindianeye00henf|title=Through Indian Eyes: A Journey Among the Indian Tribes of Guiana|publisher=[[Holt, Rinehart and Winston]]|year=1965|location=New York|oclc=410666}}
* {{Cite book|last=Rabe|first=Stephen G.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-f30eVom_bkC|title=U.S. Intervention in British Guiana: A Cold War Story|date=2005|publisher=[[University of North Carolina Press]]|isbn=978-0-8078-2979-0|series=The new Cold war history|location=Chapil Hill (N. C.)}}
* {{Cite book|last=Waterton|first=Charles|author-link=Charles Waterton|url=https://archive.org/details/wanderingsinso00wate|title=Wanderings in South America|publisher=[[Cassell & Company]]|year=1887|location=London|ol=24225529M}}
* {{Cite book|last=Attenborough|first=David|author-link=David Attenborough|url=https://archive.org/details/zooquesttoguiana0000unse|title=Zoo Quest to Guiana|date=1958|publisher=[[The Reprint Society]]|location=London|oclc=28039101}}
* {{Cite book|last=Gimlette|first=John|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1l69UM5GoEkC|title=Wild Coast: Travels on South America's Untamed Edge|date=2011|publisher=[[Profile Books]]|isbn=978-1-84668-252-0|location=London}}
* {{cite book|last=Clementi|first=Cecil|author-link=Cecil Clementi|title=The Chinese in British Guiana|year=1915|publisher=The Argosy Company Limited|location=Georgetown, British Guiana|url=http://caribbeanpress.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Cecil-Clementi-The-Chinese-In-British-Guiana-Complete-Text.pdf|access-date=27 October 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304084621/http://caribbeanpress.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Cecil-Clementi-The-Chinese-In-British-Guiana-Complete-Text.pdf|url-status=live}}
{{refend}}


== External links ==
; Map
{{Sister project links|Guyana|n=Category:Guyana|voy=Guyana|m=no|mw=no|species=no}}
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=6.446318,-58.436279&spn=4.593018,8.172180&t=h&hl=en Guyana] on Google Maps
* [https://op.gov.gy/ Office of the President, Republic of Guyana] (official website).
{{-}}
* [http://www.parliament.gov.gy/ Parliament of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana] (official website).
{{Template group
* {{Wikiatlas|Guyana}}
|title = Geographic locale
* {{osmrelation-inline|287083}}
|list =
* [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guyana/ Guyana]. ''[[The World Factbook]]''. [[Central Intelligence Agency]].
{{Countries of South America}}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1211325.stm Country Profile] from the [[BBC News]].
* [https://www.britannica.com/place/Guyana Guyana] from the ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]''.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080607084928/http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/govpubs/for/guyana.htm Guyana] at ''UCB Libraries GovPubs''.
* The State of the World's Midwifery, [https://www.unfpa.org/ICPD_GY Guyana Country Profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815212039/https://www.unfpa.org/ICPD_GY |date=15 August 2021}}.
* [http://www.ifs.du.edu/ifs/frm_CountryProfile.aspx?Country=GY Key Development Forecasts for Guyana] from [[International Futures]].


{{Guyana topics}}
}}

{{Template group
{{Navboxes
|title = International membership
| title = Articles related to Guyana
|list =
| list =
{{Regions of Guyana}}
{{Settlements in Guyana}}
{{The Guianas}}
{{Countries of South America}}
{{Commonwealth of Nations}}
{{Commonwealth of Nations}}
{{Organisation of Islamic Cooperation}}
{{OIC}}
{{SACN}}
{{SACN}}
{{Caricom}}
{{Caricom}}
{{Organization of American States}}
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}}
{{Anglophone states}}
{{English official language clickable map}}


{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Guyana| ]]

[[Category:CARICOM members]]
{{Coord|5|-58.75|type:country_region:GY|format=dms|display=title}}
[[Category:Republics]]

[[Category:Liberal democracies]]
[[Category:1966 establishments in South America]]
[[Category:Countries and territories where English is an official language]]
[[Category:Countries in South America]]
[[Category:Former British colonies and protectorates in the Americas]]
[[Category:Former monarchies of South America]]
[[Category:Former monarchies of South America]]
[[Category:English-speaking countries and territories]]
[[Category:Guyana| ]]
[[Category:Former British colonies]]
[[Category:Member states of the Caribbean Community]]
[[Category:Former Dutch colonies]]
[[Category:Member states of the Commonwealth of Nations]]
[[Category:Members of the Commonwealth of Nations]]
[[Category:Member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation]]
[[Category:Member states of the Union of South American Nations]]
[[Category:Member states of the United Nations]]
[[Category:Republics in the Commonwealth of Nations]]
[[Category:Small Island Developing States]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1966]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1966]]
[[Category:Organisation of the Islamic Conference members]]
[[Category:The Guianas]]

[[af:Guyana]]
[[am:ጋያና]]
[[ar:غويانا]]
[[an:Guyana]]
[[frp:Guyana]]
[[ast:Guyana]]
[[gn:Gujána]]
[[ay:Wayana]]
[[az:Qayana]]
[[bn:গায়ানা]]
[[zh-min-nan:Guyana]]
[[be:Гаяна]]
[[be-x-old:Гаяна]]
[[bcl:Guyana]]
[[bs:Gvajana]]
[[br:Guyana]]
[[bg:Гаяна]]
[[ca:Guyana]]
[[cv:Гайана]]
[[ceb:Guyana]]
[[cs:Guyana]]
[[cy:Guyana]]
[[da:Guyana]]
[[de:Guyana]]
[[dv:ގުޔާނާ]]
[[dsb:Guyana]]
[[et:Guyana]]
[[el:Γουιάνα]]
[[es:Guyana]]
[[eo:Gujano]]
[[eu:Guyana]]
[[ee:Guyana]]
[[fa:گویان]]
[[hif:Guyana]]
[[fr:Guyana]]
[[fy:Guyana]]
[[gv:Geeaaney]]
[[gd:Guiana]]
[[gl:Güiana - Guyana]]
[[hak:Koi-â-nâ]]
[[ko:가이아나]]
[[hr:Gvajana]]
[[io:Guyana]]
[[bpy:গায়েনা]]
[[id:Guyana]]
[[ia:Guyana]]
[[os:Гайанæ]]
[[is:Gvæjana]]
[[it:Guyana]]
[[he:גיאנה]]
[[jv:Guyana]]
[[kl:Guyana]]
[[kn:ಗಯಾನ]]
[[pam:Guyana]]
[[ka:გაიანა]]
[[kk:Ғайана]]
[[kw:Gwayana]]
[[sw:Guyana]]
[[ht:Giyàn]]
[[ku:Guyana]]
[[la:Guiana]]
[[lv:Gajāna]]
[[lb:Guyana]]
[[lt:Gajana]]
[[lij:Guyana]]
[[jbo:gudjanas]]
[[lmo:Gujana]]
[[hu:Guyana]]
[[mk:Гвајана]]
[[ml:ഗയാന]]
[[mr:गयाना]]
[[arz:جويانا]]
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[[pt:Guiana]]
[[ro:Guyana]]
[[qu:Wayana]]
[[ru:Гайана]]
[[sah:Гайана]]
[[se:Guyana]]
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[[sc:Guyana]]
[[sq:Guiana]]
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[[sk:Guyana (štát)]]
[[sl:Gvajana]]
[[sr:Гвајана]]
[[fi:Guyana]]
[[sv:Guyana]]
[[tl:Guyana]]
[[ta:கயானா]]
[[te:గయానా]]
[[tet:Giana]]
[[th:ประเทศกายอานา]]
[[tr:Guyana]]
[[uk:Гаяна]]
[[ug:Gayana]]
[[vec:Guyana]]
[[vi:Guyana]]
[[vo:Gvayän]]
[[war:Guyana]]
[[wo:Guyaana]]
[[wuu:圭亚那]]
[[yi:גויאנע]]
[[bat-smg:Gajana]]
[[zh:圭亚那]]

Latest revision as of 22:43, 30 December 2024

Co-operative Republic of Guyana
Motto: "One People, One Nation, One Destiny"
Anthem: "Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains"
Location of Guyana (green) in South America (grey)
Location of Guyana (green)

in South America (grey)

Capital
and largest city
Georgetown
6°48′21″N 58°9′3″W / 6.80583°N 58.15083°W / 6.80583; -58.15083
Official languagesEnglish
Recognised regional languages
10 indigenous languages
Vernacular languageGuyanese Creole
Other languages
Ethnic groups
(2012)[1]
Religion
(2020)[2]
Demonym(s)Guyanese
GovernmentUnitary parliamentary republic with an executive presidency[a]
• President
Irfaan Ali
Mark Phillips
Bharrat Jagdeo
Manzoor Nadir
Roxane George-Wiltshire
LegislatureNational Assembly
Establishment
1667–1815
1831–1966
26 May 1966
• Republic
23 February 1970
• Joined CARICOM at the Treaty of Chaguaramas
1 August 1973
6 October 1980
Area
• Total
214,969[4][5][6] km2 (83,000 sq mi) (83rd)
• Water (%)
8.4
Population
• 2024 estimate
817,607[7] (166th)
• Density
3.502/km2 (9.1/sq mi) (239th)
GDP (PPP)2024 estimate
• Total
Increase $63.822 billion[8] (115th)
• Per capita
Increase $80,137[8] (10th)
GDP (nominal)2024 estimate
• Total
Increase $21.178 billion[8] (124th)
• Per capita
Increase $26,592[8] (42nd)
Gini (2007)Positive decrease 44.6[9]
medium inequality
HDI (2022)Increase 0.742[10]
high (95th)
CurrencyGuyanese dollar (GYD)
Time zoneUTC-4 (AST)
Date formatdd-mm-yyyy
Drives onLeft
Calling code+592
ISO 3166 codeGY
Internet TLD.gy

Guyana[b] officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana,[12] is a country on the northern coast of South America, part of the historic mainland British West Indies. Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the country's largest city. Guyana is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Brazil to the south and southwest, Venezuela to the west, and Suriname to the east. With a land area of 214,969 km2 (83,000 sq mi),[13] Guyana is the third-smallest sovereign state by area in mainland South America after Uruguay and Suriname, and is the second-least populous sovereign state in South America after Suriname; it is also one of the least densely populated countries on Earth. The official language of the country is English, although a large part of the population is bilingual in English and the indigenous languages. It has a wide variety of natural habitats and very high biodiversity. The country also hosts a part of the Amazon rainforest, the largest tropical rainforest in the world.

The region known as "the Guianas" consists of the large shield landmass north of the Amazon River and east of the Orinoco River known as the "land of many waters". Nine indigenous tribes reside in Guyana: the Wai Wai, Macushi, Patamona, Lokono, Kalina, Wapishana, Pemon, Akawaio and Warao. Historically dominated by the Lokono and Kalina tribes, Guyana was colonised by the Dutch before coming under British control in the late 18th century. It was governed as British Guiana with a mostly plantation-style economy until the 1950s. It gained independence in 1966 and officially became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. The legacy of British colonialism is reflected in the country's political administration, lingua franca and diverse population, which includes Indian, African, Indigenous, Chinese, Portuguese, other European, and various multiracial groups.

Guyana is the only mainland South American nation in which English is the official language. However, the majority of the population speak Guyanese Creole, an English-based creole language, as a first language. Guyana is part of the Commonwealth Caribbean. It is part of the mainland Caribbean region maintaining strong cultural, historical, and political ties with other Caribbean countries as well as serving as the headquarters for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). In 2008, the country joined the Union of South American Nations as a founding member.

In 2017, 41% of the population of Guyana lived below the poverty line.[14] Guyana's economy has been undergoing a transformation since the discovery of crude oil in 2015 and commercial drilling in 2019, with its economy growing by 49% in 2020, making it, by some accounts, currently the world's fastest-growing economy. As it is said to have 11 billion barrels in oil reserves,[15] the country is set to become one of the largest per capita oil producers in the world by 2025.[16] The discovery of over 11 billion barrels of oil reserves off the coast of Guyana since 2017 is the largest addition to global oil reserves since the 1970s.[17] Guyana is now ranked as having the fourth-highest GDP per capita in the Americas after the United States, Canada, and The Bahamas, and has been one of the countries. According to the World Bank in 2023, very significant poverty still exists and the country faces significant risks in structurally managing its growth.[18]

Etymology

[edit]

The name "Guyana" derives from Guiana, an earlier name for a larger region that included the areas now called Guyana (British Guyana), Suriname (Dutch Guiana), French Guiana, the Guayana Region in Venezuela (Spanish Guyana), and Amapá in Brazil (Portuguese Guiana). According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the name "Guyana" comes from an indigenous Amerindian language and means "land of many waters".[19] The word Co‑operative in the official name refers to co-operative socialism.

History

[edit]
A map of Dutch and British Guiana in 1826

Before colonisation

[edit]

What is now Guyana has been inhabited for millennia.[20] Nine indigenous tribes reside in Guyana: the Wai Wai, Macushi, Patamona, Lokono, Kalina, Wapishana, Pemon, Akawaio, and Warao. Many of these peoples practised shifting agriculture alongside hunting. Historians speculate that the Arawaks and Caribs originated in the South American hinterland and migrated northward, first to the present-day Guianas and then to the Caribbean islands. The Arawak, mainly cultivators, hunters, and fishermen, migrated to the Caribbean islands before the Carib and settled throughout the region.[21]

Colonial period

[edit]

Although Christopher Columbus was the first European to sight Guyana during his third voyage (in 1498), and Sir Walter Raleigh wrote an account in 1596, the Dutch were the first Europeans to establish colonies: Pomeroon (1581), Essequibo (1616), Berbice (1627), and Demerara (1752). After France invaded the Dutch Republic (1795), the British assumed control in 1796, with the Dutch and British signing the London Convention in 1814 that ceded Demerara-Essequibo and Berbice to Britain.[22]

In 1831, the united colonies of Demerara-Essequibo and separate colony of Berbice together became a single British colony known as British Guiana.[citation needed]

Map of British Guiana from 1896

Since its independence in 1824, Venezuela has claimed the area of land to the west of the Essequibo River. Simón Bolívar wrote to the British government warning against the Berbice and Demerara settlers settling on land which the Venezuelans, as assumed heirs of Spanish claims on the area dating to the 16th century, claimed was theirs. In 1899, an international tribunal ruled that the land belonged to Great Britain.[23] From the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814, the British inherited Dutch territory which included lands between the Orinoco and Courantyne rivers. Dutch sovereignty over these settlements was recognised in 1648 by Spain with the Peace of Münster, which stated under Article 5 that the Dutch would retain all of the lordships, cities, castles, fortresses, trades and lands in the... West Indies[24] under their possession at the time. However, the treaty did not specify the boundary between Spanish Guiana and Dutch Guiana.

Independence

[edit]

Guyana achieved independence from the United Kingdom as a dominion on 26 May 1966 and became a republic on 23 February 1970, remaining a member of the Commonwealth.[25] Shortly after independence, Venezuela began to take diplomatic, economic, and military action against Guyana to enforce its territorial claim to the Essequibo region.[26] Five months after Guyana's independence, in October 1966, Venezuelan troops crossed the international border and seized Ankoko Island which has been under occupation ever since.[27] Venezuelan troops quickly constructed military installations and an airstrip.[28]

Following independence, Forbes Burnham of the People's National Congress Reform rose to power, quickly becoming a repressive authoritarian leader.[29] Politics became divided on race with the Afro-Guyanese supporting Burnham's People's National Congress and the Indo-Guyanese supporting Jagan's People's Progressive Party, in what became known as aapan jaat politics, loosely translated from Guyanese Hindustani as "for your own kind".

Guyana was elected three times as a member of the UN Security Council in 1975–76, 1982–83 and 2024–25.

In 1978, a total of 918 people died at the Jonestown mass murder-suicide led by American cult leader Jim Jones at a remote settlement in northwest Guyana.[30]

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter visited Guyana to lobby for the resumption of free elections. On 5 October 1992, a new National Assembly and regional councils were elected in the first Guyanese election since 1964 to be internationally recognised as free and fair. Cheddi Jagan of the PPP was elected and sworn in as president on 9 October 1992.[31][29] This reversed the monopoly that Afro-Guyanese traditionally had over Guyanese politics. The poll was marred by violence however.

In May 2008, President Bharrat Jagdeo was a signatory to the UNASUR Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations. The Guyanese government officially ratified the treaty in 2010.[32]

In March 2020, President David A. Granger narrowly lost the snap elections, following Granger's government loss of a vote of no confidence back in 2018. Granger refused to accept the results, but eventually five months later, Irfaan Ali of the People's Progressive Party/Civic was sworn in as the new president because of allegations of fraud and irregularities.[33]

The National Trust of Guyana has designated nine historic sites as national monuments.[citation needed]

A referendum in neighbouring Venezuela was held in December 2023 on the annexation of the disputed Essequibo region, which lies entirely in the territory of Guyana.[34] The vote passed with a 95% majority, but with a low turnout, with analysts stating Maduro's government had falsified the results.[35] This came at the same time as a Venezuelan military buildup on the Guyanese border, sparking concerns of war between the two states.

Geography

[edit]
Kaieteur Falls is the world's largest single-drop waterfall by volume.
Rupununi Savannah
A large part of Guyana's territory is covered by the Amazon rainforest, the world's largest and most biodiverse tropical rainforest.

The territory controlled by Guyana lies between latitudes and 9°N, and longitudes 56° and 62°W; it is one of the world's most sparsely populated countries.

The country can be divided into five natural regions: a narrow and fertile marshy plain along the Atlantic coast (low coastal plain) where most of the population lives; a white sand belt further inland (hilly sand and clay region), containing most of Guyana's mineral deposits; the dense rain forests (Forested Highland Region) in the southern part of the country; the drier savannah areas in the south-west; and the smallest interior lowlands (interior savannah) consisting mostly of mountains that gradually rise to the Brazilian border.

Some of Guyana's highest mountains are Mount Ayanganna (2,042 m or 6,699 ft), Monte Caburaí (1,465 m or 4,806 ft) and Mount Roraima (2,772 m or 9,094 ft – the highest mountain in Guyana) on the Brazil-Guyana-Venezuela tripoint border, part of the Pakaraima range. Mount Roraima and Guyana's table-top mountains (tepuis) are said to have been the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1912 novel The Lost World. There are also many volcanic escarpments and waterfalls, including Kaieteur Falls which is believed to be the largest single-drop waterfall in the world by volume.[36] North of the Rupununi River lies the Rupununi savannah, south of which lie the Kanuku Mountains.

The four longest rivers are the Essequibo at 1,010 km (628 mi) long, the Courentyne River at 724 km (450 mi), the Berbice at 595 km (370 mi), and the Demerara at 346 km (215 mi). The Courentyne river forms the border with Suriname. At the mouth of the Essequibo are several large islands, including the 145 km (90 mi) wide Shell Beach along the northwest coast, which is also a major breeding area for sea turtles (mainly leatherbacks) and other wildlife.

The climate is tropical and generally hot and humid, though moderated by northeast trade winds along the coast. There are two rainy seasons, the first from May to mid-August, the second from mid-November to mid-January.

Guyana has one of the largest unspoiled rainforests in South America, some parts of which are almost inaccessible by humans. The rich natural history of Guyana was described by early explorers Sir Walter Raleigh and Charles Waterton and later by naturalists Sir David Attenborough and Gerald Durrell. In 2008, the BBC broadcast a three-part programme called Lost Land of the Jaguar which highlighted the huge diversity of wildlife, including undiscovered species and rare species such as the giant otter and harpy eagle.

Biodiversity and conservation

[edit]
Satellite image of Guyana from 2004

Guyana has one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. It is home to more than 225 species of mammals, 900 species of birds, 880 species of reptiles, and more than 6,500 different species of plants.[37] Among these wildlife categories the most notably famous are the Arapaima, which is the world's largest scaled freshwater fish; the giant anteater, the largest anteater; the giant otter, the world's largest and rarest river otter; and the Guianan cock-of-the-rock bird (Rupicola rupicola).[38]

The following habitats have been categorised for Guyana: coastal, marine, littoral, estuarine, palustrine, mangrove, riverine, lacustrine, swamp, savanna, white sand forest, brown sand forest, montane, cloud forest, moist lowland and dry evergreen scrub forests (NBAP, 1999). About 14 areas of biological interest have been identified as possible hotspots for a National Protected Area System.

More than 80% of Guyana is still covered by forests, which also contain the world's rarest orchids, ranging from dry evergreen and seasonal forests to montane and lowland evergreen rain forests. These forests are home to more than a thousand species of trees. Guyana's tropical climate, unique geology, and relatively undisturbed ecosystems support extensive areas of species-rich rain forests and natural habitats with high levels of endemism. There are about 8000 species of plants in Guyana, half of which are found nowhere else.

The country is home to six ecoregions: Guayanan Highlands moist forests, Guianan moist forests, Orinoco Delta swamp forests, Tepuis, Guianan savanna, and Guianan mangroves.[39] The Guiana Shield region is little known and extremely rich biologically. Unlike other areas of South America, over 70% of the natural habitat remains pristine.

Anomaloglossus beebei (Kaieteur), specific to the Guianas

The rich natural history of British Guiana was described by early explorers Sir Walter Raleigh and Charles Waterton and later by naturalists Sir David Attenborough and Gerald Durrell. Southern Guyana is host to some of the most pristine expanses of evergreen forests in the northern part of South America. Most of the forests found are tall, evergreen hill-land and lower montane forests, with large expanses of flooded forest along major rivers. Thanks to the very low human population density of the area, most of these forests are still intact.

The Smithsonian Institution has identified nearly 2,700 species of plants from this region, representing 239 distinct families, and there are certainly additional species still to be recorded.[citation needed] The diversity of plants supports diverse animal life, recently documented by a biological survey organised by Conservation International. The reportedly clean, unpolluted waters of the Essequibo watershed support a remarkable diversity of fish and aquatic invertebrates, and are home to giant otters, capybaras, and several species of caimans.

On land, large mammals, such as jaguars, tapirs, bush dogs, giant anteaters, and saki monkeys are still common. Over 800 species of birds have been reported from the region, and the reptile and amphibian faunas are similarly rich.

In February 2004, the Government of Guyana issued a title to more than 4,000 km2 (1×10^6 acres) of land in the Konashen Indigenous District as the Kanashen Community-Owned Conservation Area, managed by the Wai Wai, and the world's largest community-owned conservation Area.[40] The Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development was also created for the protection and sustainable use of the Iwokrama forest area. Since 2009, Guyana and Norway have collaborated to promote green development in Guyana while keeping deforestation at low levels.[41]

Economy

[edit]
A tractor in a rice field on Guyana's coastal plain

The main economic activities in Guyana are agriculture (rice and Demerara sugar), bauxite and gold mining, timber, seafood, minerals, crude oil and natural gas. Guyana's gold production in 2015 is 14 metric tons.[42]

The discovery of major crude oil reserves off the Atlantic coast has since made a large impact on Guyana's GDP since drilling began in 2019. GDP grew sharply (43%) through the COVID-19 pandemic year of 2020, and is anticipated to continue at a high level in 2021 (estimated at 20%). The non-oil sectors contracted as public health measures were in place to control the virus spread; the growth of GDP rests on the oil sector for these two years.[43] In December 2024, Guyana is projected to be the third largest per capita petroleum producing country in the world.[44]

Preservation of Guyana's pristine forests has been a key component for receiving international aid through REDD programmes.

Summary

[edit]
  • GDP: US$4.121 billion ($5,252 per capita, 2019 est.)[8]
  • GDP growth rate: 86.7% (2020)[8][45]
  • Inflation: 5.03% (2021)[46]
  • Unemployment: 16.42% (2021)[46]
  • Arable land: 2% (2018 estimate)[46]
  • Labour force: 324,943 (2019)[47]
  • Agricultural produce: sugar, rice, vegetable oils, beef, pork, poultry, dairy products, fish, shrimp[46]
  • Industrial production: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining[46]
  • Major export products: Crude Petroleum 85.9% ($15.9B), Gold 7.36% ($1.36B), Rice 2.32% ($429M), Aluminium Ore 1.04% ($192M), and Hard Liquor 0.65% ($120M). (2022)[48]
  • Exports: US$18.5 billion; Panama 31.6%, Netherlands 15.5%, United States 12.8%, United Arab Emirates 6.39%, and Italy 6.35%. (2022)[48]
  • Major import products: Refined Petroleum 11.8% ($441M), Valves 5.48% ($206M), Cars 2.87% ($108M), Large Construction Vehicles 2.81% ($106M), and Delivery Trucks 2.18% ($81.7M). (2022)[48]
  • Imports: US$3.75 billion; United States 27.8%, China 14.3%, Brazil 7.06%, Trinidad and Tobago 6.84%, and Suriname 4.23%. (2022)[48]

History

[edit]

The earliest residents of Guyana employed a variety of agricultural practices for subsistence living but also had extensive networks of trade, dealing in items such as blow pipes, curare, cassava graters, and other essentials. These trade networks were important even at the time of the earliest European contact, and Dutch traders were inclined to gift the local peoples in order to maintain successful settlements.[49]

After the initial rush to find gold in the New World waned, the Dutch found the climate to be suitable for growing sugar cane, converting large tracts of the Guyanese coast into plantations and supplying with labour from the Atlantic slave trade. The country and economy were run by a small European planter elite[50] which continued on when the colonies of the territory were merged and the land was given over to the British Empire in 1814. Upon emancipation in 1838, almost all of the former slaves abandoned the plantations, and Indians were brought to the country under indenture contracts from 1838 until the end of the system in 1917.[51]

The production of balatá (natural latex) was once a big business in Guyana. Most of the balatá bleeding in Guyana took place in the foothills of the Kanuku Mountains in the Rupununi savannah. Early exploitation also took place in the North West District, but most of the trees in the area were destroyed by illicit bleeding methods that involved cutting down the trees rather than making incisions in them. Uses of balatá included the making of cricket balls, temporary dental fillings, and the crafting of figurines and other decorative items (particularly by the Macushi people).

When the country gained independence from British rule, a policy of nationalisation was enacted by Forbes Burnham to address the inequities that were established by plantation-based colonial rule. All large-scale industries such as foreign-owned bauxite mining (Reynolds Metals and Rio Tinto's Alcan) and sugar (GuySuCo) operations were taken over by the government. However, the economy under nationalisation was plagued by problems; political instability leading to an exodus of skilled labour, inexperienced management, aging infrastructure. Poor international market conditions also expanded the country's debt.[52]

The Guyanese economy rebounded slightly and exhibited moderate economic growth after 1999, due to expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a more favourable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support of international organisations. Guyana held huge amounts of debt which have been written off through various international agencies. In 2003 Guyana qualified for US$329 million of debt relief, in addition to the US$256 million from the original World Bank plan for assisting heavily indebted poor countries in 1999. The Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative in 2006/7 wrote off about US$611 million of Guyana's debt by the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. In 2006, Japan finalised its bilateral debt cancellation agreement, in 2007, US$15 million was written off by China and in 2008, Venezuela cancelled US$12.5 million.[53]

In 2008, the economy witnessed a 3% increase in growth amid the global economic crisis; it grew 5.4% in 2011 and 3.7% in 2012. IMF projected economic growth to be 53% in 2020 following the completion of the first off-shore oil project.[54] Actual growth in GDP in 2020 was 43%; reports in April 2021 anticipate 20% growth for 2021.[43]

Tax policy

[edit]

The government initiated a major overhaul of the tax code in early 2007. A Value Added Tax (VAT) replaced six different taxes. Prior to the implementation of the VAT, it had been relatively easy to evade sales tax, and many businesses were in violation of tax code. Many businesses opposed VAT introduction because of the extra paperwork required; however, the Government has remained firm on the VAT. Replacing several taxes with one flat tax rate, it will also be easier for government auditors to spot embezzlement.

Demographics

[edit]
Guyana's population density in 2012 (people per km2)
A graph showing the population of Guyana from 1961 to 2003. The population decline in the 1980s can be clearly seen.

The large majority (about 90%) of Guyana's 744,000 people live along a narrow coastal strip that ranges from a width of 16 to 64 km (10 to 40 mi) inland and makes up approximately 10% of the nation's total land area.[55]

Guyana's population is racially and ethnically heterogeneous, with ethnic groups originating from India, Africa, Europe, and China, as well as Indigenous peoples. Despite their diverse ethnic backgrounds, most groups share a common language of English and its Guyanese English Creole vernacular.

The largest ethnic group is the Indo-Guyanese (also known as East Indians), the descendants of indentured labourers from India who make up 43.5% of the population, according to the 2002 census. They are followed by the Afro-Guyanese, the descendants of enslaved people brought from Africa, primarily West Africa, who constitute 30.2%. The Guyanese of mixed heritage make up 16.7%.

The Indigenous peoples, known locally as Amerindians, make up 10.5% of the population.[56] The nine Indigenous nations in Guyana, defined by language, are the Akawaio, Arawak (Lokono), Arekuna (Pemon), Carib (Karinya), Makushi, Patamona, Wai Wai, Wapichan, and Warao.[56] They are the third-largest demographic group in the country and are the majority population in the southern interior.[56]

The Afro-Guyanese population mainly descend from West African ethnicities such as the Ashanti from Ghana, the Yoruba from Southwest Nigeria, the Igbo from South-Eastern Nigeria, and the Mandingo from Senegal.[57] Most Indo-Guyanese are descended from indentured labourers who migrated from North India, especially the Bhojpur and Awadh regions of the Hindi Belt in the present-day states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand.[58] A significant minority of Indo-Guyanese are also descended from indentured migrants who came from the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh; these are the plurality ancestry in the East Berbice-Corentyne region.[59] The two largest groups, the Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese, have experienced some racial tension.[60][61][62]

Largest cities

[edit]
Largest cities and towns of Guyana
Rank Name Region Population
1 Georgetown Demerara-Mahaica 118,363[63]
2 Linden Upper Demerara-Berbice 27,277[63]
3 New Amsterdam East Berbice-Corentyne 17,329[63]
4 Corriverton East Berbice-Corentyne 11,386[63]
5 Bartica Cuyuni-Mazaruni 8,004[64]
6 Mahaica Demerara-Mahaica 4,867[64]
7 Rose Hall East Berbice-Corentyne 4,413[64]
8 Parika Essequibo Islands-West Demerara 4,385[64]
9 Triumph Demerara-Mahaica 3,788[64]
10 Uitvlugt Essequibo Islands-West Demerara 2,980[64]

Languages

[edit]

English is the official language of Guyana and is used for education, government, media, and services. The vast majority of the population speaks Guyanese Creole, an English-based creole with slight African, Indian, and Amerindian influences, as their first language.[65]

Indigenous Cariban languages (Akawaio, Wai-Wai, and Macushi) are spoken by a small minority of Amerindians.

Guyanese Hindustani is spoken by the older generation of the Indo-Guyanese community, but younger Guyanese use English or Guyanese Creole. Indo-Surinamese immigrants from Suriname speak the Sarnami variant, especially the Nickerian-Berbician Hindustani subdialect.[66]

Religion

[edit]
Central Vaidik Mandir in Georgetown

In 2012 the population was 63% Christian, 25% Hindu, 7% Muslim, 3% of other faiths, and 3% irreligious.[67]

Religion is an important aspect of identity in Guyana and reflects the various external influences of colonialism and immigrant groups. Christianity was considered the prestigious religion, transmitting European culture and representing upward mobility in the colonial society. Missionaries and churches built schools, and until nationalisation in the 1970s, nearly all schools were denominational. When Indians were brought to the country as indentured labour, Hinduism and Islam gained prominence, but for some decades neither were acknowledged for legal marriage.[68]

Some traditional African and Amerindian spiritual beliefs remain alongside the dominant religions.

Health

[edit]

Life expectancy at birth is estimated to be 69.5 years as of 2020.[69]

The PAHO/ WHO Global Health Report 2014 (using statistics of 2012) ranked the country as having the highest suicide rate in the world, with a mortality rate of 44.2 per 100,000 inhabitants.[70][71] According to 2011 estimates from the WHO, HIV prevalence is 1.2% of the teen/adult population (ages 15–49).[72]

Education

[edit]

Education in Guyana was primarily introduced and operated by missionising Christian denominations. The wealthy planter elite often sent their children for education abroad in England, but as schools improved in Guyana, they also modelled after the former British education system. Primary education became compulsory in 1876, although the need for children to assist in agricultural labour kept many children from schooling. In the 1960s, the government took over control of all schools in the country. Fees were removed, new schools were opened in rural areas, and the University of Guyana was established so students no longer were required to go abroad for tertiary education.[73]

Queen's College, Georgetown

Guyana's literacy was one of the highest in the Caribbean, by estimated literacy rate of 96 per cent in 1990.[73] In a 2014 UNESCO estimate, literacy is 96.7 in the 15–24 year old age group.[74] However, the functional literacy may be only as high as 70%.[75]

Students are expected to take the NGSA (National Grade Six Assessment) for entrance into high school in grade 7. They take the CXC at the end of high school. Schools have introduced the CAPE exams which all other Caribbean countries have introduced. The A-level system, inherited from the British era, is offered only in a few schools.

Infrastructure challenges affect access to education, especially for students in the hinterland. A World Bank assessment showed roughly 50% of teachers were "untrained, operated with inadequate teaching materials, and served children of parents with low levels of adult literacy".[76]

Government

[edit]

Politics

[edit]
The State House, Guyana's presidential residence
The Supreme Court of Guyana
Guyana's parliament building since 1834

The politics of Guyana takes place in a framework of a Parliamentary representative democratic republic, in which the President of Guyana is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the President and the Government. Legislative power is vested in both the President and the National Assembly of Guyana.[77] Historically, politics is a source of tension in the country, and violent riots have often broken out during elections.

During the 1970s and 1980s, the political landscape was dominated by the People's National Congress.[78] In 1992, the first constitutional elections were overseen by former United States President Jimmy Carter, and the People's Progressive Party led the country until 2015. The two parties are principally organised along ethnic lines and as a result, often clash on issues related to the allocation of resources. In the General Elections held on 28 November 2011, the People's Progressive Party (PPP) retained a majority, and their presidential candidate Donald Ramotar was elected as president.[79]

On 11 May 2015, early general elections were held. A coalition of the A Partnership for National Unity-Alliance for Change (APNU-AFC) parties won 33 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly. On 16 May 2015, retired army general David A. Granger became the eighth President of Guyana.[80] However, on 21 December 2018, a vote of confidence was called for, regarding terms under which the government granted a franchise for offshore oil exploration. Legislator Charrandass Persaud defected from the coalition and the vote failed, requiring new elections. The governing coalition litigated this result for the entire 90 days allowed for new elections. New elections were held on 2 March 2020, and results were declared on 3 August 2020, with the People's Progressive Party/Civic as the winner. Mohamed Irfaan Ali became the ninth President of Guyana.[81][82]

Essequibo conflict

[edit]

There is a conflict between Guyana and Venezuela concerning the Essequibo region. After years of fruitless mediation, Guyana went to the International Court of Justice in 2018, asking judges to rule that the 1899 border decision by an international panel of arbiters is valid and binding. Venezuela argues that a 1966 agreement to resolve the dispute effectively nullified the original arbitration. The ICJ has ruled the case is admissible and that it has jurisdiction, but it is expected to take years to reach a final decision. On Sunday, 3 December 2023, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro convoked a referendum to ask Venezuelan electors five questions, including whether to create a Venezuelan state in Essequibo and whether voters support granting Venezuelan citizenship to the region's current and future residents. Venezuela does not recognise the U.N. panel's jurisdiction over the decades-old dispute, but the country's Vice President Delcy Rodríguez nonetheless characterised the ruling as a "victory for Venezuela," given that the U.N. did not order a halt to the referendum plans. [83]

Public procurement

[edit]

Public procurement in Guyana is overseen by the Public Procurement Commission, appointed under the Public Procurement Commission Act 2003. Due to lengthy delay in identifying and agreeing commission members, the commission was not appointed until 2016.[84]

Military

[edit]

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is the military service of Guyana. It maintains strong military relations with Brazil, with which it collaborates on border security through yearly regional military exchange gatherings. Guyana also has an ongoing partnership with the United States Army to enhance the country's military readiness and capabilities to respond to security threats.[85]

Human rights

[edit]

Homosexual acts, as well as anal and oral sex, are illegal in Guyana.[86] It is currently the only country in South America that prohibits such acts. Engaging in such acts can warrant life imprisonment, though the prohibition is not enforced. These laws can be difficult to alter, as Guyana's Constitution protects laws inherited from the British Empire from constitutional review.[87] However, cross-dressing has been legal since 2018, when a ban was struck down by Guyana's court of last resort, the Caribbean Court of Justice.[88] President David A. Granger (2015–2020) expressed support for these efforts.[89]

Administrative divisions

[edit]

Regions and Neighbourhood Councils

[edit]
Regions of Guyana by number and name

Guyana is divided into 10 regions:[90][91]

No Region Regional capital Area km2 Pop.
(2012 census)
Pop. density
per km2
1 Barima-Waini Mabaruma 20,339 26,941 1.32
2 Pomeroon-Supenaam Anna Regina 6,195 46,810 7.56
3 Essequibo Islands-West Demerara Vreed en Hoop 3,755 107,416 28.61
4 Demerara-Mahaica Triumph 2,232 313,429 140.43
5 Mahaica-Berbice Fort Wellington 4,190 49,723 11.87
6 East Berbice-Corentyne New Amsterdam 36,234 109,431 3.02
7 Cuyuni-Mazaruni Bartica 47,213 20,280 0.43
8 Potaro-Siparuni Mahdia 20,051 10,190 0.51
9 Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Lethem 57,750 24,212 0.42
10 Upper Demerara-Berbice Linden 17,040 39,452 2.32
Total 214,999 747,884 3.48

The regions are divided into 27 neighbourhood councils.[92]

Natural regions

[edit]

Guyana is divided into four natural regions.[93] These are:

  1. Low Coastal Plain
  2. Hilly Sand and Clay
  3. Highland Region
  4. Interior Savannahs

International and regional relations

[edit]

Boundary disputes

[edit]
Map of Guyana with the disputed territories incorporated, showing the Essequibo River and (shaded dark) the river's drainage basin. Venezuela claims territory up to the western bank of the river. The historical claim by the UK included the river basin well into current-day Venezuela.

Guyana is in border disputes with both Suriname, which claims the area east of the left bank of the Corentyne River and the New River in southwestern Suriname, and Venezuela which claims the land west of the Essequibo River, once the Dutch colony of Essequibo as part of what they call "Guayana Essequiba".[94][95][96][97] The maritime[98][99] component of the territorial dispute with Suriname was arbitrated by the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea, and a ruling was announced on 21 September 2007. The ruling concerning the Caribbean Sea north of both nations found both parties violated treaty obligations and declined to order any compensation to either party.[100]

When the British surveyed British Guiana in 1840, they included the entire Cuyuni River basin within the colony, to the protest of Venezuela which claimed all lands west of the Essequibo River. In 1897 in Washington, DC, both countries accepted the "Treaty between Great Britain and the United States of Venezuela Respecting the Settlement of the Boundary between the Colony of British Guiana and the United States of Venezuela." According to the Treaty of Washington (1897), the final decision by the arbitration tribunal in Paris would be a "full, perfect, and final settlement"[101] to the border dispute. In 1899, the tribunal issued the Paris Arbitral Award, granting a majority of the disputed territory to British Guiana. Following the settlement, an exact border was demarcated by markers and coordinates by a Venezuelan and British boundary commission in accordance with International law. Venezuela brought up again the settled claim, during the 1960s cold war period, and during Guyana's Independence period. In 1962, Venezuelan President Rómulo Betancourt resuscitated Venezuela's claim to the disputed territory by declaring the 1899 arbitration award null and void.[11] The result of this complaint led to the Treaty of Geneva of 1966, which was signed by the Governments of Guyana, the United Kingdom and Venezuela.[102] Venezuela calls this region "Zona en Reclamación" (Reclamation Zone) and Venezuelan maps of the national territory routinely include it, drawing it in with dashed lines.[103]

In 2023, a referendum was held in Venezuela which saw 95% of voters approve creating a new state in the disputed area with Guyana's President Irfaan Ali calling it a direct threat on the nation's sovereignty. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro claims wide support for the move, despite only around 10% of the Venezuelan voting population taking part in the referendum.[104] Both the US and Brazil made signs of supporting Guyana in the territorial dispute, with Brazil sending troops to their border with the Essequibo region.[105] US Southern Command held air exercises with Guyana Defence Forces in Guyana in December 2023.[106]

Illustration of the Guiana-Venezuela border dispute, including western boundary ceded to Venezuela, published by Scottish cartographer George Philip in 1897.

Specific small disputed areas involving Guyana are Ankoko Island with Venezuela; Corentyne River[107] with Suriname; and Tigri Area or New River Triangle[108] with Suriname. In 1967 a Surinamese survey team was found in the New River Triangle and was forcibly removed. In August 1969 a patrol of the Guyana Defence Force found a survey camp and a partially completed airstrip inside the triangle, and documented evidence of the Surinamese intention to occupy the entire disputed area. After an exchange of gunfire, the Surinamese were driven from the triangle.

The Organisation of American States (OAS)

[edit]

Guyana entered the Organisation of American States in 1991.[109]

Indigenous Leaders Summits of America (ILSA)

[edit]

With Guyana having many groups of indigenous persons and given the geographical location of the country, the contributions of the Guyanese to the OAS respecting indigenous people may be significant.[110]

The position of the OAS respecting indigenous persons developed over the years. "The "OAS has supported and participated in the organisation of Indigenous Leaders Summits of Americas (ILSA)"[111]

The Draft American Declaration of the Rights of the Indigenous Persons appears to be a working document[112]

Agreements which affect financial relationships

[edit]

The Double Taxation Relief (CARICOM) Treaty 1994

[edit]

At a CARICOM Meeting, representatives of Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana respectively signed The Double Taxation Relief (CARICOM) Treaty 1994 on 19 August 1994.[113]

This treaty covered taxes, residence, tax jurisdictions, capital gains, business profits, interest, dividends, royalties and other areas.

FATCA

[edit]

On 30 June 2014, Guyana signed a Model 1 agreement with the United States of America in relation to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).[114] This Model 1 agreement includes a reference to the Tax Information Exchange Agreement (Clause 3) which was signed on 22 July 1992 in Georgetown, Guyana intending to exchange tax information on an automatic basis.

Infrastructure and telecommunications

[edit]

Transport

[edit]
Cross-border bridge from Guyana to Brazil near Lethem

There are a total of 187 km (116 mi) of railway, all dedicated to ore transport. There are 7,969 km (4,952 mi) of highway, of which 591 km (367 mi) are paved. Navigable waterways extend 1,077 km (669 mi), including the Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers. There are ports at Georgetown, Port Kaituma, and New Amsterdam. There are two international airports (Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri and Eugene F. Correia International Airport (formerly Ogle Airport); along with about 90 airstrips, nine of which have paved runways. Guyana, Suriname and the Falkland Islands are the only three regions in South America that drive on the left.

Electricity

[edit]

The electricity sector in Guyana is dominated by Guyana Power and Light (GPL), the state-owned vertically integrated utility. Although the country has a large potential for hydroelectric and bagasse-fuelled power generation, most of its 226 MW of installed capacity correspond to diesel-engine driven generators.[115]

Several initiatives are in place to improve energy access in the hinterland.

Culture

[edit]
Holidays
1 January New Year's Day
Spring Youman Nabi (Mawlid)
23 February Republic Day / Mashramani
March Phagwah (Holi)
March / April Good Friday
March / April Easter Sunday
March / April Easter Monday
1 May Labour Day
5 May Indian Arrival Day
26 May Independence Day
First Monday in July CARICOM Day
1 August Emancipation Day
October / November Diwali
25 December Christmas
26 or 27 December Boxing Day
Varies Eid al-Fitr
Varies Eid al-Adha

Guyana's culture is very similar to that of the English-speaking Caribbean, and has historically been tied to the English-speaking Caribbean as part of the British Empire when it became a possession in the nineteenth century.

The current Guyanese culture began to develop when immigrants (some of them forced, others voluntary) adapted and converged with the dominant British culture. Slavery eradicated much of the distinction between differing African cultures as they were supplanted by British culture, which encouraged the adoption of Christianity and the values of British colonists; this laid the foundations of today's Afro-Guyanese culture. Arriving later and under somewhat more favourable circumstances, Indian immigrants were subjected to less assimilation, and they preserved more aspects of Indian culture, such as religion, cuisine, music, festivals, and clothing.[116]

Guyana's geographical location, its sparsely populated rain-forest regions, and its substantial Amerindian population differentiate it from English-speaking Caribbean countries. Its blend of the two dominant cultures, Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese, gives it similarities to Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname, and distinguishes it from other parts of the Americas. Guyana shares similar interests with the islands in the West Indies, such as food, festive events, music, sports, etc.

Events include Mashramani (Mash), Phagwah (Holi), and Deepavali (Diwali).

Media

[edit]

Landmarks

[edit]
St George's Cathedral, Georgetown
  • St George's Anglican Cathedral: A historic Anglican Cathedral made of wood.[117]
  • Demerara Harbour Bridge: The world's fourth-longest floating bridge.[118]
  • Berbice Bridge: The world's sixth-longest floating bridge.
  • Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Building: Houses the headquarters of the largest and most powerful economic union in the Caribbean.
  • Providence Stadium: Situated on Providence on the east bank of the Demerara River and built in time for the ICC World Cup 2007, it is the largest sports stadium in the country. It is also near the Providence Mall, forming a major spot for leisure in Guyana.
  • Arthur Chung Conference Centre:[119] Presented as a gift from the People's Republic of China to the Government of Guyana. It is the only one of its kind in the country.
  • Stabroek Market: A large cast-iron colonial structure that looked like a statue was located next to the Demerara River.[117]
  • Georgetown City Hall: A beautiful wooden structure also from the colonial era.[117]
  • Takutu River Bridge: A bridge across the Takutu River, connecting Lethem in Guyana to Bonfim in Brazil.[120]
  • Umana Yana: An Amerindian benab, that is a national monument built in 1972, for a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Non-Aligned nations (It was rebuilt in 2016).[121]
  • Shell Beach: Approximately 140 km long beach. In some parts beach consists of pure shells, very high biological diversity. Important nesting site for 8 species of sea turtles.[117]
  • Parliament Building of Guyana: Parliament Building currently houses the seat of the National Assembly of the Government of Guyana. Located in Stabroek, facing Brickdam and bordered by Hadfield Street, High Street, and Cornhill Street [122]

Sports

[edit]
Providence Stadium as seen from the East Bank Highway

The major sports in Guyana are cricket (Guyana is part of the West Indies cricket team for international cricket purposes[123]), basketball, football and volleyball.[124] Minor sports include softball cricket (beach cricket), field hockey, netball, rounders, lawn tennis, table tennis, boxing, squash, rugby, horse racing and a few others.

Guyana played host to international cricket matches as part of the 2007 Cricket World Cup (CWC 2007). The new 15,000-seat Providence Stadium, also referred to as Guyana National Stadium, was built in time for the World Cup and was ready for the beginning of play on 28 March. At the first international game of CWC 2007 at the stadium, Lasith Malinga of the Sri Lankan team took four wickets in four consecutive deliveries.[125]

Guyana's national basketball team has traditionally been one of the top contenders at the CaribeBasket, the top international basketball tournament for countries in the Caribbean.

For international football purposes, Guyana is part of CONCACAF. The highest league in their club system is the GFF Elite League. Guyana's national football team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup; however, they qualified for the Caribbean Cup in 1991, finishing fourth, and 2007. In 2019, they qualified for the CONCACAF Gold Cup for the first time, after finishing seventh in the qualifiers. They finished third in Group D, having lost two matches and drawn one.

Guyana also has five courses for horse racing.[126]

Guyana featured a beach volleyball team at the 2019 South American Beach Games.[127]

See also

[edit]

Explanatory notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The president is constitutionally obligated to dissolve parliament after a successful no-confidence motion against the government (article 106(6)) and new elections are called within 3 months (article 61).[3]
  2. ^ /ɡˈɑːnə/ or /ɡˈænə/ ghy-A(H)N),[11][5]

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[edit]
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Further reading

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5°00′N 58°45′W / 5°N 58.75°W / 5; -58.75