Introduction
Guyana, known as the land of many waters in South America, is brimming with opportunities for its people. The county is rich in untapped natural resources and great business opportunities. The economy is rapidly expanding, and many companies are registering to invest in bauxite, gold, diamonds, oil and gas deposits, and so much more.
Our History
Main article here: History of Guyana
Before Independence
The Cooperative Republic of Guyana, formerly known as British Guiana, has a long history of being conquered by various countries.
The Europeans discovered the country in 1498.
For about 500 years, various European groups, such as the Spanish, Dutch, French, and British, were fighting over the country. It was a Dutch colony in the 17th century, but it was conquered and influenced by the British in 1815.
The large landmass north of the Amazon River and east of the Orinoco River was divided into five sub-regions during the 17th and 18th centuries.
One of the five sub-regions was British Guiana, now known as Guyana.
Slavery existed in the country for 500 years as a colony of various countries, but its abolishment was in the late 1800s.
After Independence
In 1966, the country declared independence from the United Kingdom. In 1970, the country became a republic. As a result, they held their first elections after gaining independence in 1992. It is governed collectively by a President, Prime Minister, and Cabinet of Ministers.
Guyana’s government has three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The President serves as the head of state, while the Prime Minister serves as the head of government. The president appoints the Cabinet of Ministers, which reports to them.
Geography
Main article here: Geography of Guyana
Land and Soil
Guyana’s geographical territory in South America is located between latitudes 1° and 9°N and longitudes 56° and 62°W. The country has one of the largest unspoiled rainforests in South America, with some areas nearly inaccessible to humans.
The coastal soils are rich in nutrients but acidic. The coastal plain’s fine-particle grayish blue clays are made up of alluvium from the Amazon deposited by the south equatorial ocean current and much smaller amounts of alluvium from the country’s rivers. Pegasse soil occurs behind coastal clay and along river estuaries; however, silt lines the lower river banks. Reef sands are found in bands along the coast, particularly near the Courantyne and Essequibo rivers. The interior rock soils are leached and infertile.
There are several mountains in the country, including Monte Cabura, Mount Roraima, Mount Ayanganna, and the Kanuku Mountains. There are also waterfalls, including Kaieteur Falls, the world’s largest single-drop waterfall. The Rupununi Savannah is also located north of the Rupununi River.
Location and size of Guyana
Guyana is the third-smallest country in South America, with an area of 214,970 square kilometers (83,000 square miles), extending 807 kilometers (501 miles) north to south and 436 kilometers (271 miles) east to west, including disputed areas. Guyana’s land area is slightly smaller than that of the state of Idaho. Guyana is bordered on the north by the Atlantic Ocean, on the east by Suriname, on the south and south-west by Brazil, and on the northwest by Venezuela. It has a total boundary length of 2,921 km (1,815 mi), 459 km (285 mi) of which is coastline.
Neither Guyana’s western nor eastern borders with Venezuela or Suriname have been resolved. Venezuela claims all territory west of the Essequibo River, totaling more than 130,000 square kilometers (50,000 square miles), or more than three-fifths of Guyana. Suriname claims a largely uninhabited area of 15,000 square kilometers (5,800 square miles) in the southeast, between two Corentyne River tributaries.
Regions
Guyana in South America is divided into four natural regions:
- Hilly sand and clay region
- Low coastal plains
- Forested highlands
- Interior Savannah
Hilly sand and clay region, which contains the majority of Guyana’s mineral deposits, is referred to as the “white sand belt” further inland.
Low coastal plain is a narrow and fertile marshy plain along the Atlantic coast. This area is home to the majority of the population.
The forested highlands region (the dense rain forests) in the south of the country.
Also, the drier savannah regions of the southwest and the tiniest interior lowlands (interior savannah) are mostly mountains that gradually rise to the Brazilian border.
The 10 administrative regions in Guyana are as follow:
| Region # | Regions | Central |
| 1 | Barima-Waini | Mabaruma |
| 2 | Pomeroon-Supenaam | Anna Regina |
| 3 | Essequibo Islands-West Demerara | Vreed en Hoop |
| 4 | Demerara-Mahaica | Triumph |
| 5 | Mahaica-Berbice | Fort Wellington |
| 6 | East Berbice-Corentyne | New Amsterdam |
| 7 | Cuyuni-Mazaruni | Bartica |
| 8 | Potaro-Siparuni | Mahdia |
| 9 | Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo | Lethem |
| 10 | Upper Demerara-Berbice | Linden |
Towns and villages
- Georgetown (Capital) in the region of Demerara-Mahaica
- Linden (Mining Town), Upper Demerara-Berbice
- New Amsterdam, East Berbice-Corentyne
- Anna Regina, located in Pomeroon-Supenaam,
- Bartica, Cuyuni-Mazaruni
- Skeldon, East Berbice-Corentyne
- Rosignol, Mahaica-Berbice
- Mahaica Village, Demerara-Mahaica
- Mahdia, Potaro-Siparuni,
- Parika, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara
- Vreed-en-Hoop, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara
- Mahaicony Village, Mahaica-Berbice
Rivers
Guyana’s major rivers are the Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo. These rivers originate in the south and empty into the Atlantic along the eastern coast.
The Essequibo River is Guyana’s largest river and the largest river between the Orinoco and Amazon basins. Among the Essequibo’s tributaries, the Potaro, Mazaruni, and Cuyuni drain the northwest savanna, while the Rupununi drains the southern savanna. Some Guyanese believe that the Demerara River is the most important river in Guyana, but others disagree.
Guyana’s four longest rivers are the Essequibo (1,010 km), the Courentyne (724 km), the Berbice (595 km), and the Demerara (346 km). Shell Beach is one of several large islands at the mouth of the Essequibo.
People of Guyana
Main article here: Guyanese People
“Guyanese” is the name for the people of Guyana. They came from various ethnic groups and cultures, including indigenous people (Amerindians). The Guyanese people are also descendants of slaves and contract laborers who worked for the Europeans in their sugar industries. East Indians, Afro-Guyanese, people of mixed races, Amerindians, Chinese, and Europeans, such as the Portuguese, make up the population.
Guyana’s current population is ethnically mixed, with ethnic groups hailing from Africa, China, India, and Europe. Indigenous peoples include the Arawak, Carib, Macushi, Wai Wai, Patamona, Warrau, Akawaio, and Wapishana.
Flag of Guyana
The Golden Arrowhead is Guyana’s flag. When Guyana gained independence from the United Kingdom in May 1966, the Golden Arrowhead became the national flag. Whitney Smith, an American vexillologist, designed the flag. The national flag’s proportions are 3:5.
Guyana’s flag is composed of five colors: red, black, white, green, and gold. It has a large green field with a red isosceles triangle in the center and black borders.
The colors on Guyana’s flag are symbolic, with red representing zeal and dynamism. Gold represents mineral wealth, while green represents agriculture and forests. The black represents endurance, while the white represents rivers and water.
The language
Main article here: Language of the Guyanese people
According to the 2012 census, Guyana has a population of 748,000 people. But as of Monday, August 22, 2022, Guyana had 794,645 people living there, according to Worldometer’s analysis of the most recent United Nations data.
According to UN statistics, Guyana’s population is expected to reach 786,552 at the midpoint of the year.
Most of the population resides in Georgetown, the country’s capital and largest city. This country is South America’s only English-speaking country. The official language is English, but most of the population speaks Guyanese Creole.
Native languages also include Warao, Atorada, Wai Wai, Macushi, Arawak, Patamona, Mauayana, Portuguese, Wapishana, Saint Lucian Creole French, Pemon, Chinese, Creole Dutch, and Akawaio.
So here is some information on that.
Economy
Business and Trading
Currently, Guyana’s main trading partners are Canada, the United States, Trinidad and Tobago, China, Suriname, and the United Arab Emirates. Oil, gold, sugar, rice, diamonds, and bauxite are the most important exports. Timber and rum are also traded internationally. Machines, vehicles, fuel, lubricants, and food are among the major imports.
Oil in Guyana
Guyana’s Stabroek Block spans 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometers). The operator is ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, which owns 45% of the block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. owns 30% of the company, while CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited owns 25%.
ExxonMobil currently has four offshore projects in Guyana. Liza Phase 1 uses the Liza Destiny floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel to produce approximately 130,000 barrels per day. Liza Phase 2, which began production in February, is gradually ramping up to its capacity of 220,000 barrels per day, which will be achieved with the Liza Unity FPSO. Payara, the third project, is expected to produce 220,000 barrels per day; construction on its production vessel, the Prosperity FPSO, is about five months ahead of schedule, with a start-up date of year-end 2023. The fourth project, Yellowtail, is expected to produce 250,000 barrels per day when the ONE GUYANA FPSO comes online in 2025.
Source
In Guyana, the large volumes of associated natural gas produced at Stabroek provide additional environmental benefits, allowing the government to replace old electric power plants that use fuel oil with a new state-of-the-art natural gas plant soon. The government is also using some of the proceeds from its oil exploration to fund the construction of solar farms and a major new hydropower project. These projects will not only reduce emissions from the country’s power sector but will also result in lower consumer costs.
Source
Guyana currency
Guyana’s official currency is the Guyanese dollar. GYD is the abbreviation for the Guyanese dollar. This currency is represented by the symbols $ and G$. Banknotes are printed in denominations of G$20, G$50, G$100, G$500, G$1,000, G$2,000, and $5,000.
Also See: Best banks in Guyana
You can convert Guyanese Dollar to US Dollar and other currencies.
To view the exchange rate, use the free IKnowGuyana currency converter tool.
Food in Guyana
Main article here: Foods of Guyana
The following are the most popular foods in Guyana:
- Curry: Guyanese enjoy making a wide variety of curries, including chicken, seafood, goat, lamb, and duck.
- Metemgee: A dumpling dish made with corn flour, eddo root yams, plantains, and cassava cooked in coconut milk.
- Cook up rice (rice and peas).
- Pastries
Regions of Guyana
Guyana’s dominant religions are Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam. The majority of Indo-Guyanese are Hindus, but Muslims make up a sizable minority. Through Christian evangelistic outreach, some Indo-Guyanese have converted to Christianity. The majority of Christians in Guyana are Afro-Guyanese. Approximately 52 percent of Guyanese were Christian in the 1990s. At the time, approximately 34% were Hindu and 9% were Muslim.
In 2002, 57% of Guyana’s population was Christian, with 17% being Pentecostal, 8% Roman Catholic, 7% Anglican, 5% Seventh Day Adventists, and 20% belonging to other Christian denominations. On the other hand, 28% are Hindu, 7% are Muslims, 2% practice other religions, and about 4% are agnostic. The majority of Guyanese Christians are Roman Catholics or Protestants, while other groups in the country, such as Indians and Afro-Guyanese and Indian-Guyanese, practice Hinduism and Islam, respectively.
These percentages may have now shifted in 2022.
Education in Guyana
Guyana’s Ministry of Education is primarily responsible for education in the country. The education system from nursery to secondary school culminates in the student taking a Caribbean Examinations Council examination (CXC). The central government determines school funding, curricula, standards, and other policies of the Ministry of Education and other agencies. The educational system is divided into eleven districts, ten of which correspond to the country’s national administrative regions. Georgetown, on the other hand, is treated as a separate educational district.
The statutory age for students to begin compulsory education in Guyana is five years and nine months. Students are required to attend school until they are 17 years old according to this entry age. Students in Guyana’s various regions attend public or private schools to fulfill compulsory education requirements.
The academic year starts in September and ends in July of the following year. Students and teachers adhere to a five-hour school day.
The levels or grades for Guyana’s Ministry of Education’s education program are listed below.
- Pre school
- Nursery
- Primary
- Secondary
- Practical Centre
- Colleges
- Technical Institutions
- The University of Guyana
Sports
Here is a short list of sports found in Guyana
- Cricket
- Football
- Basket ball
- Table tennis
- Volleyball
Health
Guyana’s healthcare system is divided into two parts: public and private. The Ministry of Public Health is in charge of the public healthcare sector, which serves as a universal healthcare system for all Guyana citizens and residents.
The World Health Organization, in collaboration with Guyanese government agencies and other key stakeholders, developed “Health Vision 2020,” a national health strategy enacted in 2013 to improve Guyana’s standard of living. Over time, this health care has improved the lives of Guyanese people.
Although there have been commendable improvements to Guyana’s healthcare system, there are still many issues that the country’s healthcare system overlooks. These issues include equitable healthcare for rural communities, the healthcare workforce, noncommunicable diseases, and so on.
Infrastructure in Guyana
Here are some of the infrastructures found in Guyana.
- Building
- Housing
- Bridges
- Roads
Media
I-Know Guyana provides relevant Images, Videos, and Audio about Guyana
Images
Find all the Images of Guyana you need right here.
Video
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Audio and Radio
Main article here: Guyanese Radio Station and Audio
If you’re looking for a list of all the radio stations in Guyana, look no further. These radio stations are available for free online.
Choose your favorite radio station, listen to the live stream, and enjoy!
Here are a few:
- HJ 94.1 Boom FM
- 104.3 Power FM
- 104.1 Guyana Lite FM
- 93.1 Real FM
- 98.1 Hot FM
- Radio Guyana International.
- Radio Guyana Inc.
- 100.1 Fresh FM
- Voice Of Guyana
- NTN Radio, 89.1 FM
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