Guyana, Land of Many Waters 

Guyana isan independent country in northeastern South America. In spite of its continental location, Guyana is usually considered a Caribbean country because of its English-speaking people and historical ties to the other former British colonies such as nearby Trinidad and Barbados.

About the size of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), the country is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Brazil to the south, Venezuela to the west, and Suriname to the east.

The capital city of Georgetown (pop. 250,000) is on the Atlantic coast next to the Demerara River. Georgetown is protected from the Atlantic Ocean by a seawall originally built by the Dutch. The seawall is of vital importance since the coastal zone is approximately 2 metres (6 ft.) below sea level and about 90% of the population live on the coast.

People and History

One of Guyana's most interesting characteristics is its very multi-cultural past and present. Indigenous peoples had already lived in the region for thousands of years when the Dutch first settled here in the late 16th century. For two centuries successive waves of English and French struggled with the Dutch for control of the region.

Finally, the Dutch colonies of Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice were surrendered and British Guiana was established in 1831. During the 350 years of European colonisation, African slaves and Asian Indian, Portuguese and Chinese indentured labourers were brought to Guyana. Of the 700,000 inhabitants today, most are of Asian Indian and African descent and the major religions are Christianity and Hinduism. The Guyanese speak Caribbean English and live in places with names as diverse as Linden, Rupununi, Rosignol and Orinduik.

Economy and Politics

Guyana is a developing nation in transition and one of the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. While British Guiana had been a very successful and profitable colony, Guyana, since independence in 1966, has had a difficult time securing its own financial strength. Racial and political strife, a period of poorly managed state-controlled industries, emigration and under-funded education all challenged Guyana's national development.

However, a number of positive situations in recent years are contributing to the development of Guyana's infrastructure and socioeconomic opportunities. International observers have declared the most recent (2001) elections as fair and open. The Guyana dollar has stabilised and international reserves have rebounded. International aid remains high, especially from the US, UK and Canada. A programme has begun that intends to modernise the nation's primary school reading and mathematics curricula.

Kaieteur Falls

Natural Beauty Guyana owes its name an Amerindian word meaning "land of many waters". This is very appropriate for a country with so many mighty rivers, scenic lakes and expansive wetlands. About 80% of Guyana is lush tropical rain forest, but there are also breathtaking savannahs and majestic green mountains. Guyana is also home to the highest single drop waterfall in the world, Kaieteur Falls, and a coastal plain below sea level. Finally of course there are the truly extraordinary and rare animals like the Arapaima, Jaguar, Harpy Eagle and Giant Otter.