Guyana

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Not to be confused with Ghana, The Guianas, French Guiana, Guinea, or Papua New Guinea.
For other uses, see Guyana (disambiguation).
Co-operative Republic of Guyana
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "One People, One Nation, One Destiny"
Anthem: Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains
Capital
and largest city
Georgetown
6°46′N 58°10′W / 6.767°N 58.167°W / 6.767; -58.167
Official languages English
Recognised regional languages
National language Guyanese Creole
Ethnic groups (2002[1])
Demonym Guyanese
Government Unitary semi-presidential republic
 -  President David Granger
 -  Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo
Legislature National Assembly
Formation
 -  Dutch Guiana 1667–1814 
 -  British Guiana 1814–1966 
 -  Independence from the United Kingdom 26 May 1966 
 -  Republic 23 February 1970 
 -  Current constitution 6 October 1980 
Area
 -  Total 214,970 km2 (85th)
83,000 sq mi
 -  Water (%) 8.4
Population
 -  2014 estimate 735,554[1] (165th)
 -  2012 census 747,884[2]
 -  Density 3.502/km2 (232nd or 8th least-densely populated in the world)
9.071/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2012 estimate
 -  Total $6.155 billion[3]
 -  Per capita $7,938[3]
GDP (nominal) 2012 estimate
 -  Total $2.788 billion[3]
 -  Per capita $3,596[3]
Gini (1998) 44.5[4]
medium
HDI (2013) Steady 0.638[5]
medium · 121st
Currency Guyanese dollar (GYD)
Time zone GYT (Guyana Time) (UTC-4)
Drives on the left
Calling code +592
ISO 3166 code GY
Internet TLD .gy

Guyana (pronounced /ɡˈɑːnə/ or /ɡˈænə/),[6][7] officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana,[8] is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America. Along with being part of the Anglophone Caribbean, Guyana is one of the few Caribbean countries that is not an island. Guyana also holds the title of Most Southern Caribbean Country. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), of which Guyana is a member, has its secretariat's headquarters in Guyana's capital, Georgetown.

Guyana was originally colonised by the Netherlands. Later, it became a British colony, known as British Guiana, and remained so for over 150 years until it achieved independence on 26 May 1966 from the United Kingdom. On 23 February 1970, Guyana officially became a republic. In 2008, the country joined the Union of South American Nations as a founding member.

Guyana is a member state of the Commonwealth of Nations and has the distinction of being the only South American nation in which English is the official language. The majority of the population, however, speak Guyanese Creole; an English-based creole language with slight Dutch, Arawakan and Caribbean influences.

Historically, the region known as "Guiana" or "Guyana" comprised the large shield landmass north of the Amazon River and east of the Orinoco River known as the "Land of many waters". Historical Guyana consists of three Dutch colonies: Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice. Modern Guyana is bordered by Suriname to the east, by Brazil to the south and southwest, by Venezuela to the west, and by the Atlantic Ocean to the north. At 215,000 square kilometres (83,000 sq mi), Guyana is the third-smallest independent state on the mainland of South America after Uruguay and Suriname.

Etymology[edit]

The name "Guyana" is derived from Guiana, the original name for the region that formerly included Guyana (British Guiana), Suriname (Dutch Guiana), French Guiana, and parts of Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Guyana is derived from Indigenous Amerindian language and means "land of many waters".[9]

History[edit]

Main article: History of Guyana

There are nine indigenous tribes residing in Guyana: the Wai Wai, Machushi, Patamona, Arawak, Carib, Wapishana, Arecuna, Akawaio, and Warrau.[10] Historically the Arawak and Carib tribes dominated Guyana. Although Christopher Columbus sighted Guyana during his third voyage (in 1498), the Dutch were the first to establish colonies: Essequibo (1616), Berbice (1627), and Demerara (1752). After the British assumed control in 1796, the Dutch formally ceded the area in 1814. In 1831 the three separate colonies became a single British colony known as British Guiana.

A map of Dutch Guiana 1667–1814.

Since 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 sixteenth century, claimed was theirs. In 1899 an international tribunal ruled the land belonged to Great Britain. The border disputes persist and no final settlement has been reached [11]

Map of British Guiana.

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. The US State Department and the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), along with the British government, played a strong role in influencing political control in Guyana during this time.[12] The American government supported Forbes Burnham during the early years of independence because Cheddi Jagan was identified as a Marxist. They provided secret financial support and political campaign advice to Burnham's People's National Congress, to the detriment of the Jagan-led People's Progressive Party, which was mostly supported by Guyanese of East Indian background.

In 1978, Guyana received international notice when 918 members of the American cult, Peoples Temple, died in a mass murder/suicide. Most of the suicides were American and more than 300 children were killed; the people were members of a group led by Jim Jones in Jonestown, the settlement which they had created. Jim Jones's bodyguards had earlier attacked people taking off at a small remote airstrip close to Jonestown, killing five people, including Leo Ryan, the only US congressman ever assassinated in the line of duty.

In May 2008, President Bharrat Jagdeo was a signatory to the UNASUR Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations. Guyana has ratified the treaty.

Geography[edit]

Main article: Geography of Guyana

The territory controlled by Guyana lies between latitudes and 9°N, and longitudes 56° and 62°W.

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 more 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 desert savannah in the southern 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 metres or 6,699 feet), Monte Caburaí (1,465 metres or 4,806 feet) and Mount Roraima (2,810 metres or 9,219 feet – 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 water drop in the world.[13] 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 kilometres (628 mi) long, the Courantyne River at 724 kilometres (450 mi), the Berbice at 595 kilometres (370 mi), and the Demerara at 346 kilometres (215 mi). The Corentyne 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 lies along the northwest coast, which is also a major breeding area for sea turtles (mainly Leatherbacks) and other wildlife.

The local 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 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.

In 2012, Guyana received a $45 million reward from Norway for its rainforest protection efforts. This stems from a 2009 agreement between the nations for a total of $250 million for protecting and maintaining the natural habitat. Thus far, the country has received $115 million of the total grant.

Regions and Neighbourhood Councils[edit]

Guyana is divided into 10 regions:[14][15]

No Region Area km² Population (2012 Census) Population(2012 Census)
per km²
1 Barima-Waini 20,339 26,941 1.32
2 Pomeroon-Supenaam 6,195 46,810 7.56
3 Essequibo Islands-West Demerara 3,755 107,416 28.61
4 Demerara-Mahaica 2,232 313,429 140.43
5 Mahaica-Berbice 4,190 49,723 11.87
6 East Berbice-Corentyne 36,234 109,431 3.02
7 Cuyuni-Mazaruni 47,213 20,280 0.43
8 Potaro-Siparuni 20,051 10,190 0.51
9 Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo 57,750 24,212 0.42
10 Upper Demerara-Berbice 17,040 39,452 2.32
Guyana 214,999 747,884 3.48

The regions are divided into 27 neighbourhood councils.[16]

Boundary disputes[edit]

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 Venezuela's Guayana Essequiba.[11][17][18][19] The maritime[20][21] 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.[22]

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 arbitration tribunal was convened, and in 1899 they issued an award giving about 94% of the disputed territory to British Guiana.

Venezuela never has accepted the award by this treaty, and raised the issue again at the time of Guyana's independence. This issue is now governed by the Treaty of Geneva of 1966, which was signed by the Governments of Guyana, Great Britain and Venezuela, and Venezuela continues to claim Guayana Esequiba.[23] 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.[24]

Specific small disputed areas involving Guyana are Ankoko Island with Venezuela; Corentyne River[25] with Suriname; and New River Triangle[26] 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 an unauthorised military 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.

Environment and biodiversity[edit]

Satellite image of Guyana from 2004.

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, 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.

Guyana has one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. Guyana, with 1,168 vertebrate species, 814 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.

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.

In February 2004, the Government of Guyana issued a title to more than 1 million acres (4,000 km2) 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.[27]

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.

Anomaloglossus beebei (Kaieteur), specific to the Guianas.
The Hoatzin, the national bird of Guyana.

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.

Such incredible diversity of plants supports even more impressive diversity of animal life, recently documented by a biological survey organised 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 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.

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, successfully capitalising on the biological wealth of the Konashen COCA with comparatively little enduring impact.

World Heritage sites[edit]

Guyana signed the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage treaty in 1977, the first Caribbean country to do so. In the mid-1990s, Guyana began the process of selecting sites for World Heritage nomination, and three sites were considered: Kaieteur National Park, 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.[citation needed]

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 in South America. The Kaieteur Falls are the most spectacular feature of the park, falling a distance of 226 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.[citation needed]

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. 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.[citation needed]

Kaieteur Falls is the world's largest single-drop waterfall by volume.

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.[citation needed]

Guyana holds two of the World Wildlife Fund's Global 200 eco-regions,[citation needed] the Guianan and Guiana Highlands moist forests. It is also home to several endemic species including the Greenheart tree.

Landmarks[edit]

St. George's Anglican Cathedral
One of the tallest wooden church 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.
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 north 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.
City Hall
A beautiful wooden structure also from the colonial era.
Takutu River Bridge
A bridge across the Takutu River, connecting Lethem in Guyana to Bonfim in Brazil.Takutu River Bridge

Economy[edit]

A tractor in a rice field on Guyana's coastal plain.

The main economic activities in Guyana are agriculture (production of rice and Demerara sugar), bauxite mining, gold mining, timber, shrimp fishing and minerals. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labour and a deficient infrastructure. In 2008, the economy witnessed a 3% increase in growth amid the global economic crisis, grew an impressive 5.4% in 2011 and 3.7% in 2012.

Offshore Oil & Gas Explorations licenses have been granted by the Government. Drilling exploration with ODU's (Off-shore Drilling Units), within 200 km (110 nmi) off the Atlantic coast of Guyana. Test drillings being conducted from 2013 to 2018.

Until recently, the government was juggling a sizeable 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 caused by widespread embezzlement and corruption within the board of directors and within the PPP/C regime, 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 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.

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 British-Australian Rio Tinto's Rio Tinto Alcan subsidiary; the Korean/Malaysian Barama Company has a large stake in the logging industry.

Graphical depiction of Guyana's product exports in 28 color-coded categories.

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. 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).

Major private sector organisations include the Private Sector Commission (PSC)[28] and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI);[29]

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. This was prevalent under the former PPP/C regime who authorized the VAT to be equal to 50% of the value of the goodWhile 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.

President Bharrat Jagdeo had made debt relief a foremost priority of his administration. He was quite successful, getting US$800 million of debt written off by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in addition to millions more from other industrial nations. 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. However, after the May 11, 2015 General Elections saw the end of the PPP/C party's 23 year grip on power, it was revealed by the incoming APNU/AFC government the previous PPP/C regime had been embezzling money from the people of Guyana to the tune of $500 billion ( just under USD $2.5 billion) annually for at least the last 15 years. This was also confirmed by Forensic Auditors from the World Bank. At present, former presidents Bharat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar are widely perceived in Guyana as the "heist men of Guyana". This is largely referring to their party's widespread corruption and blatant disregard for honesty or integrity when dealing with national finances and the sweetheart import / export trading deals they made with China, Malaysia and India which sees hundreds of thousands of tonnes in natural resources exported from Guyana completely tax-free. They are also highly criticized for what was seen as the sale of citizenship which saw Jagdeo's PPP/C regime award full citizenship to all Chinese nationals after 12 months of residency in the country. Allegedly the sum of USD $2,000 was the cost for this to be made possible for anyone who could afford it. Many saw this as a way that the PPP/C would be able to guarantee votes in future elections. However, during the May 11th, 2015 election,former U.S. President Jimmy Carter declared that the Guyanese constitution overrides whatever promises were made to the new Chinese citizens and they would be ineligible to vote before the 10-year waiting period required to become a Guyanese citizen.

Summary[edit]

Thatched roof houses in Guyana

Demographics[edit]

Guyana's population density in 2005 (people per km2).
A graph showing the population of Guyana from 1961 to 2003. The population decline in the 1980s can be clearly seen.

Most of Guyana's population (90%) lives in a narrow coastal strip which ranges from 16 to 64 kilometres (10 to 40 mi) in width and which makes up approximately 10% of the nation's total land area.[30]

The present population of Guyana is racially and ethnically heterogeneous, with ethnic groups originating from India, Africa, Europe, and China, as well as indigenous or aboriginal peoples. Despite their diverse ethnic backgrounds, these groups share two common languages: English and Creole.

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 slaves from Africa, who constitute 30.2%. Guyanese of mixed heritage make up 16.7%, while the indigenous peoples (known locally as Amerindians) make up 9.1%. The indigenous groups include the Arawaks, the Wai Wai, the Caribs, the Akawaio, the Arecuna, the Patamona, the Wapixana, the Macushi and the Warao.[1] The two largest groups, the Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese, have experienced some racial tension.[31][32][33]

Most Indo-Guyanese are descended from Bhojpuri-speaking Bihari and Uttar Pradesh migrants.[34] Many Indo-Guyanese are also descended Tamil speaking Tamils from Tamil Nadu, and Telugus of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in South India.[35]

The distribution pattern in the 2002 census was similar to those of the 1980 and 1991 censuses, but the share of the two main groups has declined. Indo-Guyanese made up 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 overall population, the decline in the shares of the two larger groups has resulted in the relative increase of shares of the multiracial and Amerindian groups. The Amerindian population rose by 22,097 people between 1991 and 2002. This represents an increase of 47.3% or annual growth of 3.5%. Similarly, the multiracial 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 number of Portuguese (4.3% of the population in 1891) has been declining constantly over the decades.[36]

Largest cities[edit]

Largest cities and towns of Guyana[37]
Rank Name Region Population
1 Georgetown Demerara-Mahaica 235,017
2 Linden Upper Demerara-Berbice 44,690
3 New Amsterdam East Berbice-Corentyne 35,039
4 Anna Regina Pomeroon-Supenaam 12,448
5 Bartica Cuyuni-Mazaruni 11,157
6 Skeldon East Berbice-Corentyne 5,859
7 Rosignol Mahaica-Berbice 5,782
8 Mahaica Village Demerara-Mahaica 4,867
9 Parika Essequibo Islands-West Demerara 4,081
10 Vreed en Hoop Demerara-Mahaica 3,073

Language[edit]

Main article: 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 and East Indian influence, as their native tongue.[38] In addition, Cariban languages (Akawaio, Wai-Wai, and Macushi) are spoken by a small minority, while Indic languages are retained for cultural and religious reasons.

Religion[edit]

Main article: Religion in Guyana

Data from a 2002 census on religious affiliation indicates that approximately 57% of the population is Christian. 28% are Hindu and 7% are Muslims. An estimated 4% of the population does not profess any religion.[39]

Most Guyanese Christians are either Protestants or Roman Catholics and include a mix of all races.

Government and politics[edit]

Main article: Politics of Guyana
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 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.

Historically, politics are 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 organised along ethnic lines and as a result often clash on issues related to the allocation of resources.

General Elections were held on 28 November 2011, which resulted in a re-election of the People's Progressive Party (PPP) and installation of that party's presidential candidate Donald Ramotar as President.

Military[edit]

Main article: Guyana Defence Force

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is the military service of Guyana.

Infrastructure and telecommunications[edit]

Transport[edit]

Main article: Transport in Guyana
Cross-border bridge from Guyana to Brazil near Lethem.

There are a total of 187 kilometres (116 mi) of railway, all dedicated to ore transport. There are 7,969 kilometres (4,952 mi) of highway, of which 591 kilometres (367 mi) are paved. Navigable waterways extend to 1,077 kilometres (669 mi), including the Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers. There are ports at Georgetown, Port Kaituma, and New Amsterdam. There is one international airport (Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri); one regional airport (Ogle Airport); and about 90 airstrips, nine of which have paved runways. Guyana, Suriname and the Falkland Islands are the only three regions in South America which 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-fueled power generation, most of its 226 MW of installed capacity correspond to inefficient thermoelectric diesel-engine driven generators.[citation needed]

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

Water supply and sanitation[edit]

Key issues in the 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.

Telecommunications[edit]

Per the CIA World Factbook:[1]

Telephone system[edit]

  • Telephones : 154,200 main telephone lines (2012)
  • Telephones – mobile cellular: 600,000+ (2014)
  • Domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines; fixed-line teledensity is about 20 per 100 persons; many areas still lack fixed-line telephone services; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 70 per 100 persons in 2011
  • International: country code – 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station – 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Guyana Telephone & Telegraph (GT&T) is the main mobile phone provider[40][41][42]

Radio broadcast stations[edit]

  • AM 3, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)
  • FM 88.5 - Rock FM (New Amsterdam, Berbice)[43]
  • FM 89.1 - NTN Radio (Georgetown, Demerara)[44]
  • FM 89.3 - Radio Guyana Inc. (Essequibo re-transmission frequency)[45]
  • FM 89.7 - Radio Guyana Inc. (Berbice re-transmission frequency)[45]
  • FM 93.1 - Radio Guyana Inc. (Georgetown, Demerara)[45]
  • FM 94.1 - Boom FM (Georgetown, Demerara)[46]
  • FM 98.1 - Hot FM (Georgetown, Demerara)
  • FM 100.1 - Fresh FM (Georgetown, Demerara)

Television broadcast stations[edit]

Television broadcast was officially introduced to Guyana in 1991.

  • 15 (1 public station (channel 11); 14 private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)

Of which are; L.R.T.V.S-Little Rock Television Station channel 10 (New Amsterdam, Berbice) H.G.P-Halagala General Productions television (Beterverwagting Village, Demerara) RCA Television charity,Esssequibo coast

Satellite television[edit]

  • Satellite television services are offered by DirecTV Caribbean and E-Networks.

Internet system[edit]

Health[edit]

Main article: Health in Guyana

Life expectancy at birth is estimated to be 67.39 years for both males and females in 2012.[48] Suicide is the leading cause of death in Guyana, with a mortality rate of 44.2 per 100,000 inhabitants.[49] The PAHO/ WHO Global Health Report 2014 (using statistics of 2012) ranked the country the one with the highest suicide rate in the world.[50] According to 2011 estimates from the WHO, HIV prevalence is 1.2% of the adult population (ages 15–49).[51] 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.

Education[edit]

Main article: Education in Guyana
Bishops' High School.

Guyana's educational system is considered to be among the best in the Caribbean, but it deteriorated significantly in the 1980s, because of inadequate funding and emigration of many highly educated citizens. Although the education system recovered in the 1990s, it still does not produce the quality of educated students necessary for Guyana to modernise its workforce.[citation needed] The country lacks a critical mass of expertise in many of the disciplines and activities on which it depends.

The educational system does not sufficiently focus on the training of Guyanese in science and technology, technical and vocational subjects, business management, or computer sciences.[citation needed] The Guyanese education system is modelled on the former British education system. 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. Recently[when?], schools have introduced the CAPE exams which all other Caribbean countries have introduced. The A-level system, inherited from the British era, has all but disappeared and is offered only in a few schools.

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.[citation needed] As a result, there is a lack of trained teachers at every level of Guyana's educational system.[citation needed] There are however several very good private schools that have been established over the last fifteen years.[citation needed]

Culture[edit]

Holidays
1 January New Year's Day
Spring Youman Nabi
23 February Republic Day / Mashramani
March Phagwah
March / April Good Friday
March / April Easter Sunday
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
Main article: Culture of Guyana

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. 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 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.

Guyana plays international cricket as a part of the West Indies cricket team, and the Guyana team plays first-class cricket against other nations of the Caribbean. In March and April 2007 Guyana co-hosted the Cricket World Cup 2007. In addition to its CARICOM membership, Guyana is a member of CONCACAF, the international football federation for North and Central America and the Caribbean.

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

Sports[edit]

Providence Stadium as seen from the East Bank Highway.

The major sports in Guyana are cricket[52] (Guyana is part of the West Indies as defined for international cricket purposes[53] ), softball cricket (beach cricket), and football. Minor sports include field hockey, netball, rounders, lawn tennis, basketball, 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.[54]

For international football purposes, Guyana is part of CONCACAF. The highest league in their club system is the GFF National Super League.

Guyana also has five courses for horse racing.[55]

Notable people[edit]

For a more complete list, see Category:Guyanese people and its subcategories.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "The World Factbook: Guyana". CIA. Retrieved 6 January 2014. 
  2. ^ Guyana 2012 Census GeoHive– Guyana. Retrieved 02 August 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d "Guyana". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 18 April 2013. 
  4. ^ "GINI index (World Bank estimate)". World Bank. Retrieved 22 July 2015. 
  5. ^ "2014 Human Development Report Summary" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. 2014. pp. 21–25. Retrieved 27 July 2014. 
  6. ^ Wells, John C. (1990). Longman pronunciation dictionary. Harlow, England: Longman. ISBN 0582053838.  entry "Guyana"
  7. ^ "Guyana - Dictionary definition and pronunciation - Yahoo! Education". Education.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2014-03-30. 
  8. ^ "Independent States in the World". state.gov. 
  9. ^ "Guyana". Oxford Dictionaries. Retrieved 9 May 2015. 
  10. ^ "Ministry of Amerindian Affairs - Georgetown, Guyana". Amerindian.gov.gy. Retrieved 2014-03-30. 
  11. ^ a b "Guyana ponders judicial action in border dispute with Venezuela". FoxNews Latino. December 23, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2015. 
  12. ^ US Declassified Documents (1964–1968)[dead link]. guyana.org
  13. ^ Rowe, Mark (November 14, 2004). "South America: Do the continental: The best of what's new; spectacular waterfalls, forgotten cities, pre-Inca trails". The Independent. p. Features, page 3. 
  14. ^ Bureau of Statistics – Guyana, CHAPTER III: POPULATION REDISTRIBUTION AND INTERNAL MIGRATION, Table 3.4: Population Density, Guyana: 1980–2002
  15. ^ Guyana – Government Information Agency[dead link], National Profile. gina.gov.gy
  16. ^ "Government of Guyana, Statistics" (PDF). Retrieved 2 May 2010. 
  17. ^ Tribunal decision tentatively set for August at the Wayback Machine (archived April 6, 2009). guyanachronicle.com, Archives for 17 June 2007
  18. ^ "Guyana to experience ‘massive' oil exploration this year". Landofsixpeoples.com. 5 February 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2010. 
  19. ^ "News in the Caribbean". Caribbean360.com. 27 April 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2010. 
  20. ^ Foreign affairs minister reiterates Guyana's territorial sovereignty. CaribbeanNetNews.com (17 February 2010).
  21. ^ POINT OF CLARIFICATION: Guyana clears air on Suriname border talk. Caribbean News Agency (17 February 2010).
  22. ^ "official site of the Permanent Court of Arbitration". Pca-cpa.org. Retrieved 2 May 2010. 
  23. ^ 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.
  24. ^ "Mapa Politico de Venezuela". A-venezuela.com. Retrieved 2 May 2010. 
  25. ^ Ramjeet, Oscar (28 October 2008). "Guyana and Suriname border dispute continues despite UN findings". Caribbean Net News. Retrieved 15 December 2008. 
  26. ^ Rodrigues-Birkett, Carolyn (24 October 2008). "There is no agreement recognizing Suriname's sovereignty over the Corentyne River". Stabroek Newspaper. Retrieved 15 December 2008. 
  27. ^ "Biodiversity in the Konashen Community-Owned Conservation Area, Guyana" (PDF). Retrieved 2 May 2010. 
  28. ^ RedSpider, Romona Khan. "Private Sector Commission". Psc.org.gy. Retrieved 2 May 2010. 
  29. ^ "Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI)". Georgetownchamberofcommerce.org. Retrieved 2 May 2010. 
  30. ^ "Guyana General Information". Geographia.com. Retrieved 2 May 2010. 
  31. ^ "Guyana turns attention to racism". BBC News. 20 September 2005.
  32. ^ "Conflict between East-Indian and Blacks in Trinidad and Guyana Socially, Economically and Politically". Gabrielle Hookumchand, Professor Moses Seenarine. 18 May 2000.
  33. ^ International Business Times: "Guyana: A Study in Polarized Racial Politics" 12 December 2011
  34. ^ Helen Myers (1999). Music of Hindu Trinidad. ISBN 9780226554532. 
  35. ^ Indian Diaspora (PDF). 
  36. ^ "Portuguese emigration from Madeira to British Guiana"
  37. ^ http://www.geonames.org/GY/largest-cities-in-guyana.html
  38. ^ Damoiseau, Robert (2003) Eléments de grammaire comparée français-créole guyanais Ibis rouge, Guyana, ISBN 2-84450-192-3
  39. ^ International Religious Freedom Report 2007: Guyana. United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  40. ^ Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Chooses Comverse for Business Transformation. MarketWatch.com (5 July 2011)
  41. ^ "Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Taps Comverse". Billingworld.com. 5 July 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2012. 
  42. ^ "Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Chooses Comverse for Business Transformation". Iewy.com. 5 July 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2012. 
  43. ^ "Little Rock Radio - 88.5 Rock FM - New Amsterdam (Guyana) - Artiest". Facebook. Retrieved 2014-03-30. 
  44. ^ "About NTN". NTN Radio. Retrieved 30 March 2014. 
  45. ^ a b c "Radio Guyana Inc. | More Music, More Memories". Radioguyanafm89.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-03-30. 
  46. ^ "HJ Radio | 94#1 Boom FM". Hits & Jams Entertainment. Retrieved 30 March 2014. 
  47. ^ "International Telecommunication Union – BDT". Itu.int. Retrieved 4 March 2012. 
  48. ^ Life Expectancy ranks. CIA World Factbook
  49. ^ The Economist: Suicide - Desperate Measures, 13 Sept 2014.
  50. ^ WHO Report 2014 Preventing suicide: A global imperative.
  51. ^ WHO Health-Related Millennium Development Goals Report 2011. Part1
  52. ^ Ramaraj, Bharat. "Shivnarine Chanderpaul: The quiet accumulator from Guyana". Cricket Country. Retrieved 27 November 2013. 
  53. ^ "Composition and countries". W.I Cricket team. West Indies Cricket Board. Retrieved 27 November 2013. 
  54. ^ "Providence stadium - Records and statistics". Cricket World 4U. Retrieved 27 November 2013. 
  55. ^ Service, K News (11 July 2013). "Guyana Horse Racing Authority continues its drive to regularize the sport". Kaiteur News. Retrieved 27 November 2013. 

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

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