Guyana

Flag Proportion: 2:3

Capital: Georgetown

Language: English

Currency: Guyana Dollar

Continent: North America

In full Co-operative Republic of Guyana, republic on the northern coast of South America, formerly British Guiana, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean, on the east by Suriname, on the south by Brazil, and on the west by Brazil and Venezuela. The country achieved independence on May 26, 1966. Guyana has an area of 214,969 sq km (83,000 sq mi); its coastline is about 435 km (about 270 mi) long.

Guyana can be divided into three major geographical regions. A belt of alluvial soil, varying in width from about 8 to 65 km (about 5 to 40 mi) and mostly below sea level, extends along the coast and is protected by a system of dams and dikes. To the south lies the dense forest area that makes up about four-fifths of the country. The forests extend into an interior highland region with a maximum elevation, atop Mount Roraima, of 2772 m (9094 ft). Some of the rivers form spectacular waterfalls, notably Kaieteur Falls (226 m/741 ft high), on the Potaro River, one of the highest single-drop waterfalls in the world. Beyond the forest lies a region of savanna. Several important rivers?the Essequibo, Demerara, Courantyne (Dutch: Corantijn), and Berbice cross the country in a southern to northern direction. The rivers are navigable by oceangoing freighters only to about 100 to 160 km (about 60 to 100 mi) from the sea; farther inland, navigation is not possible because of rapids and falls.

Guyana has a tropical climate, with little seasonal temperature change. The annual rainfall (about 1525 to 2030 mm/about 60 to 80 in) on the coast occurs mainly from April to August and November to January. The savanna region receives some 1525 mm (some 60 in) of rain annually, mainly from April to September.

The important mineral deposits of Guyana include bauxite, manganese, gold, diamonds, and kaolin. Some petroleum is located offshore.

The plants and trees of Guyana are noted for their great size; the giant water lily is common. The dense forests contain excellent woods, such as greenheart and mora, for use in the lumber industry. The animal life is varied and includes deer, anteater, and two species of monkey. Among the birds are manakins, sugarbirds, and cotingas; the diversity of brilliantly colored birds and insects is considerable. Slightly more than 50 percent of the total population of Guyana is made up of East Indians, whose ancestors came here from the Indian subcontinent. About 31 percent of the people are of black African descent, and some 10 percent are of mixed background. Approximately 5 percent are Native Americans. In addition, small numbers of Europeans and Chinese live in Guyana. About 90 percent of the largely rural population lives along the coast. About 42 percent of the people are Christians, most being Anglicans or Roman Catholics. The remainder are mainly Hindus (34 percent) or Muslims (9 percent). The official language is English; Hindi, Urdu, and Native American languages also are used.

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