Guyana

Guyana,officially theCo-operative Republic of Guyana,is a country on the northern coast ofSouth America, part of the historic mainlandBritish West Indies.Georgetownis the capital of Guyana and is also the country's largest city. Guyana is bordered by theAtlantic Oceanto the north,Brazilto the south and southwest,Venezuelato the west, andSurinameto the east. With a land area of 214,969 km(83,000 sq mi),Guyana is the third-smallestsovereign stateby area in mainland South America afterUruguayand Suriname, and is thesecond-least populous sovereign state in South Americaafter Suriname; it is alsoone of the least densely populated countries on Earth. The official language of the country isEnglish, 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 highbiodiversity. The country also hosts a part of theAmazon rainforest, the largesttropical rainforestin the world.
The region known as "the Guianas" consists of thelarge shield landmassnorth of theAmazon Riverand east of theOrinoco Riverknown as the "land of many waters". Nineindigenoustribes reside in Guyana: theWai Wai,Macushi,Patamona,Lokono,Kalina,Wapishana,Pemon,AkawaioandWarao. Historically dominated by the Lokono and Kalina tribes, Guyana was colonised by theDutchbefore coming underBritish controlin the late 18th century. It was governed asBritish Guianawith a mostly plantation-style economy until the 1950s. It gained independence in 1966 and officially became a republic within theCommonwealth of Nationsin 1970. The legacy of British colonialism is reflected in the country's political administration, lingua franca and diverse population, which includesIndian,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 speakGuyanese Creole, anEnglish-based creole language, as a first language. Guyana is part of theCommonwealth Caribbean. It is part of the mainlandCaribbean regionmaintaining strong cultural, historical, and political ties with otherCaribbeancountries as well as serving as theheadquartersfor theCaribbean Community(CARICOM). In 2008, the country joined theUnion of South American Nationsas a founding member.
In 2017, 41% of the population of Guyana lived below thepoverty line.Guyana's economy has been undergoing a transformation since the discovery ofcrude oilin 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,the country is set to become one of the largest per capita oil producers in the world by 2025.The discovery of over 11 billion barrels of oil reserves off the coast of Guyana since 2017 is the largest addition toglobal oil reservessince the 1970s.Guyana is now ranked as having the fourth-highest GDP per capita in the Americas after theUnited States,Canada, andThe Bahamas.  According to theWorld Bankin 2023, very significant poverty still exists and the country faces significant risks in structurally managing its growth.
The name "Guyana" derives fromGuiana, an earlier name for a larger region that included the areas now called Guyana (British Guyana),Suriname(Dutch Guiana),French Guiana, theGuayana RegioninVenezuela(Spanish Guyana), andAmapáinBrazil(Portuguese Guiana). According to theOxford English Dictionary, the name "Guyana" comes from an indigenous Amerindian language and means "land of many waters".The wordCo‑operativein the official name refers toco-operative socialism.
What is now Guyana has been inhabited for millennia.Nineindigenoustribes reside in Guyana: theWai Wai,Macushi,Patamona,Lokono,Kalina,Wapishana,Pemon,Akawaio, andWarao. Many of these peoples practisedshifting agriculturealongsidehunting. 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.
AlthoughChristopher Columbuswas the first European to sight Guyana during his third voyage (in 1498), and SirWalter Raleighwrote an account in 1596, theDutchwere the first Europeans to establish colonies:Pomeroon(1581),Essequibo(1616),Berbice(1627), andDemerara(1752). After France invaded the Dutch Republic (1795), theBritishassumed control in 1796, with the Dutch and British signing theAnglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814in London that cededDemerara-Essequiboand Berbice to Britain.
In 1831, the united colonies of Demerara-Essequibo and separate colony of Berbice together became a single British colony known asBritish Guiana.
Since its independence in 1824, Venezuela has claimed the area of land to the west of theEssequibo River.Simón Bolívarwrote 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.From theAnglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814, the British inheritedDutch territorywhich included lands between theOrinocoandCourantynerivers. Dutch sovereignty over these settlements was recognised in 1648 by Spain with thePeace of Münster, which stated under Article 5 that the Dutch would retain all of thelordships, cities, castles, fortresses, trades and lands in the... West Indiesunder their possession at the time. However, the treaty did not specify the boundary betweenSpanish GuianaandDutch Guiana.
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 theCommonwealth.Shortly after independence,Venezuelabegan to take diplomatic, economic, and military action against Guyana to enforce itsterritorial claim to the Essequibo region.Five months after Guyana's independence, in October 1966, Venezuelan troops crossed the international border and seizedAnkoko Islandwhich has been under occupation ever since.Venezuelan troops quickly constructed military installations and an airstrip.
Following independence,Forbes Burnhamof thePeople's National Congress Reformrose to power, quickly becoming a repressive authoritarian leader.Politics became divided on race with the Afro-Guyanese supporting Burnham'sPeople's National Congressand the Indo-Guyanese supportingJagan'sPeople's Progressive Party, in what became known asaapanjaatpolitics, loosely translated fromGuyanese Hindustanias "for your own kind".
Guyana was elected three times as a member of theUN Security Councilin 1975–76, 1982–83 and 2024–25.
In 1978, a total of 918 people died at theJonestown mass murder-suicideled by American cult leaderJim Jonesat a remote settlement in northwest Guyana.
Former U.S. PresidentJimmy Cartervisited 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 Jaganof the PPP was elected and sworn in as president on 9 October 1992.This reversed the monopoly that Afro-Guyanese traditionally had over Guyanese politics. The poll was marred by violence however.
In May 2008, PresidentBharrat Jagdeowas a signatory to theUNASUR Constitutive Treatyof the Union of South American Nations. The Guyanese government officially ratified the treaty in 2010.
In March 2020, PresidentDavid A. Grangernarrowly lost thesnap 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 Aliof thePeople's Progressive Party/Civicwas sworn in as the new president because of allegations of fraud and irregularities.
TheNational Trust of Guyanahas designated nine historic sites as national monuments.
Areferendum in neighbouring Venezuelawas held in December 2023 on the annexation of thedisputed Essequibo region, which lies entirely in the territory of Guyana.The vote passed with a 95% majority, but with a low turnout, with analysts stating Maduro's government had falsified the results.This came at the same time as aVenezuelan military buildupon the Guyanese border, sparking concerns of war between the two states.
The territory controlled by Guyana lies between latitudes1°and9°N, and longitudes56°and62°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 denserain forests(Forested Highland Region) in the southern part of the country; the driersavannahareas 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 areMount Ayanganna(2,042 m or 6,699 ft),Monte Caburaí(1,465 m or 4,806 ft) andMount Roraima(2,772 m or 9,094 ft – the highest mountain in Guyana) on the Brazil-Guyana-Venezuelatripointborder, part of thePakaraimarange. Mount Roraima and Guyana's table-top mountains (tepuis) are said to have been the inspiration forSir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1912 novelThe Lost World. There are also many volcanicescarpmentsand waterfalls, includingKaieteur Fallswhich is one of the world's most powerful waterfalls. North of theRupununi Riverlies theRupununi savannah, south of which lie theKanuku Mountains.
The four longest rivers are the Essequibo at 1,010 km (628 mi) long, theCourentyne Riverat 724 km (450 mi), theBerbiceat 595 km (370 mi), and theDemeraraat 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) wideShell Beachalong the northwest coast, which is also a major breeding area forsea turtles(mainlyleatherbacks) and other wildlife.
The climate istropicaland generally hot and humid, though moderated by northeasttrade windsalong 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 unspoiledrainforestsin South America, some parts of which are almost inaccessible by humans. The rich natural history of Guyana was described by early explorersSir Walter RaleighandCharles Watertonand later by naturalists SirDavid AttenboroughandGerald Durrell. In 2008, theBBCbroadcast a three-part programme calledLost Land of the Jaguarwhich highlighted the huge diversity of wildlife, including undiscovered species and rare species such as thegiant otterandharpy eagle.
Guyana has one of the highest levels ofbiodiversityin the world. It is home to more than 225species of mammals, 900species of birds, 880 species of reptiles, and more than 6,500 different species of plants.Among these wildlife categories the most notably famous are theArapaima, which is the world's largest scaled freshwater fish; thegiant anteater, the largest anteater; thegiant otter, the world's largest and rarest river otter; and theGuianan cock-of-the-rockbird (Rupicola rupicola).
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 rarestorchids, 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 ofendemism. 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, andGuianan mangroves.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 SirWalter RaleighandCharles Watertonand later by naturalists SirDavid AttenboroughandGerald 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.The diversity of plants supports diverse animal life, recently documented by a biological survey organised byConservation International.  The reportedly clean, unpolluted waters of the Essequibo watershed support a remarkable diversity of fish and aquatic invertebrates, and are home togiant otters,capybaras, and several species ofcaimans.
On land, large mammals, such asjaguars,tapirs,bush dogs,giant anteaters, andsaki monkeysare 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 km(1×10^acres) of land in the Konashen Indigenous District as theKanashenCommunity-Owned Conservation Area, managed by theWai Wai, and the world's largest community-owned conservation Area.TheIwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Developmentwas 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.
The main economic activities in Guyana are agriculture (rice andDemerara sugar),bauxiteand gold mining, timber, seafood, minerals, crude oil and natural gas. Guyana's gold production in 2015 is 14 metric tons.
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 theCOVID-19 pandemicyear 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.In December 2024, Guyana is projected to be the third largest per capita petroleum producing country in the world.
Preservation of Guyana's pristine forests has been a key component for receiving international aid throughREDDprogrammes.
Theearliest residentsof 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.
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 intoplantationsand supplying with labour from theAtlantic slave trade. The country and economy were run by a small European planter elitewhich continued on when the colonies of the territory were merged and the land was given over to theBritish Empirein 1814. Upon emancipation in 1838, almost all of the former slaves abandoned the plantations, and Indians were brought to the country underindenturecontracts from 1838 until the end of the system in 1917.
The production ofbalatá(naturallatex) was once a big business in Guyana. Most of the balatá bleeding in Guyana took place in the foothills of theKanuku Mountainsin theRupununi 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 ofcricket balls, temporary dental fillings, and the crafting of figurines and other decorative items (particularly by theMacushipeople).
When the country gained independence from British rule, a policy of nationalisation was enacted byForbes Burnhamto address the inequities that were established by plantation-based colonial rule. All large-scale industries such as foreign-owned bauxite mining (Reynolds MetalsandRio 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.
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 assistingheavily indebted poor countriesin 1999. The Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative in 2006/7 wrote off about US$611 million of Guyana's debt by theInternational Monetary Fund, theWorld Bankand theInter-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.
In 2008, the economy witnessed a 3% increase in growth amid the globaleconomic 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.Actual growth in GDP in 2020 was 43%; reports in April 2021 anticipate 20% growth for 2021.
The government initiated a major overhaul of the tax code in early 2007. AValue 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 spotembezzlement.
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.
Guyana's population is racially and ethnically heterogeneous, with ethnic groups originating from India, Africa, Europe, and China, as well asIndigenous 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 theIndo-Guyanese(also known asEast Indians), the descendants ofindentured labourers from Indiawho make up 43.5% of the population, according to the 2002 census. They are followed by theAfro-Guyanese, the descendants of enslaved people brought from Africa, primarilyWest Africa, who constitute 30.2%. The Guyanese of mixed heritage make up 16.7%.
The Indigenous peoples, known locally asAmerindians, make up 10.5% of the population.The nine Indigenous nations in Guyana, defined by language, are theAkawaio,Arawak(Lokono),Arekuna(Pemon),Carib(Karinya),Makushi,Patamona,Wai Wai,Wapichan, andWarao.They are the third-largest demographic group in the country and are the majority population in the southern interior.
The Afro-Guyanese population mainly descend from West African ethnicities such as theAshantifromGhana, theYorubafromSouthwest Nigeria, theIgbofromSouth-Eastern Nigeria, and theMandingofromSenegal.Most Indo-Guyanese are descended from indentured labourers who migrated fromNorth India, especially theBhojpurandAwadhregions of theHindi Beltin the present-day states ofUttar Pradesh,Bihar, andJharkhand.A significant minority of Indo-Guyanese are also descended from indentured migrants who came from the South Indian states ofTamil NaduandAndhra Pradesh; these are the plurality ancestry in theEast Berbice-Corentyneregion.The two largest groups, the Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese, have experienced some racial tension.
English is the official language of Guyana and is used for education, government, media, and services. The vast majority of the population speaksGuyanese Creole, an English-based creole with slight African, Indian, and Amerindian influences, as their first language.
IndigenousCariban languages(Akawaio,Wai-Wai, andMacushi) are spoken by a small minority of Amerindians.
Guyanese Hindustaniis spoken by the older generation of the Indo-Guyanese community, but younger Guyanese use English or Guyanese Creole. Indo-Surinamese immigrants from Suriname speak theSarnamivariant, especially theNickerian-Berbician Hindustanisubdialect.
In 2012 the population was 63% Christian, 25%Hindu, 7%Muslim, 3% of other faiths, and 3% irreligious.
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.
Some traditional African and Amerindian spiritual beliefs remain alongside the dominant religions.
Life expectancyat birth is estimated to be 69.5 years as of 2020.
The PAHO/ WHO Global Health Report 2014 (using statistics of 2012) ranked the country as having the highestsuiciderate in the world, with a mortality rate of 44.2 per 100,000 inhabitants.According to 2011 estimates from theWHO,HIVprevalenceis 1.2% of the teen/adult population (ages 15–49).
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 formerBritish educationsystem. 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.
Guyana's literacy was one of the highest in the Caribbean, by estimated literacy rate of 96 per cent in 1990.In a 2014 UNESCO estimate, literacy is 96.7 in the 15–24 year old age group.However, the functional literacy may be only as high as 70%.
Students are expected to take the NGSA (National Grade Six Assessment) for entrance into high school in grade 7. They take theCXCat the end of high school. Schools have introduced theCAPEexams which all other Caribbean countries have introduced. TheA-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".
Thepolitics of Guyanatakes place in a framework of aParliamentaryrepresentative democraticrepublic, in which thePresident of Guyanais bothhead of stateandhead of government, and of amulti-party system.Executive poweris exercised by the President and the Government.Legislative poweris vested in both the President and theNational Assembly of Guyana.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 constitutional elections were overseen by former United States PresidentJimmy 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 candidateDonald Ramotarwas elected as president.
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 generalDavid A. Grangerbecame the eighth President of Guyana.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 Alibecame the ninth President of Guyana.
There is a conflict between Guyana andVenezuelaconcerning the Essequibo region. After years of fruitless mediation, Guyana went to theInternational Court of Justicein 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.
Public procurementin 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.
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is the military service of Guyana. It maintains strong military relations withBrazil, with which it collaborates on border security through yearly regional military exchange gatherings. Guyana also has an ongoing partnership with theUnited States Armyto enhance the country's military readiness and capabilities to respond to security threats.
Homosexualacts, as well asanalandoral sex, are illegal in Guyana.It is currently the only country in South America that prohibits such acts. Engaging in such acts can warrantlife imprisonment, though the prohibition isnot enforced. These laws can be difficult to alter, asGuyana's Constitutionprotects laws inherited from theBritish Empirefrom constitutional review.However,cross-dressinghas been legal since 2018, when a ban was struck down by Guyana's court of last resort, theCaribbean Court of Justice.PresidentDavid A. Granger(2015–2020) expressed support for these efforts.
Guyana is divided into 10 regions:
The regions are divided into 27 neighbourhood councils.
Guyana is divided into four natural regions.These are:
Guyana is inborder disputeswith both Suriname, which claims the area east of the left bank of theCorentyne Riverand the New River in southwestern Suriname, and Venezuela which claims the land west of the Essequibo River, once theDutch colony of Essequiboas part of what they call "Guayana Essequiba".The maritimecomponent of the territorial dispute with Suriname was arbitrated by theUnited Nations Convention on Law of the Sea, and a ruling was announced on 21 September 2007. The ruling concerning theCaribbean Seanorth of both nations found both parties violated treaty obligations and declined to order any compensation to either party.
When the British surveyed British Guiana in 1840, they included the entireCuyuni Riverbasin within the colony, to the protest of Venezuela which claimed all lands west of the Essequibo River. In 1897 inWashington, 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 thearbitration tribunalinPariswould be a "full, perfect, and final settlement"to the border dispute. In 1899, the tribunal issued theParis 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 PresidentRómulo Betancourtresuscitated Venezuela's claim to the disputed territory  by declaring the 1899 arbitration award null and void.The result of this complaint led to theTreaty of Geneva of 1966, which was signed by the Governments of Guyana, the United Kingdom and Venezuela.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.
In 2023,a referendumwas 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.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.US Southern Commandheld air exercises withGuyana Defence Forcesin Guyana in December 2023.
Specific small disputed areas involving Guyana areAnkoko Islandwith Venezuela; Corentyne Riverwith Suriname; andTigri AreaorNew River Trianglewith Suriname. In 1967 a Surinamese survey team was found in the New River Triangle and was forcibly removed. In August 1969 a patrol of theGuyana Defence Forcefound 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, theSurinamesewere driven from the triangle.
Guyana entered theOrganisation of American Statesin 1991.
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.
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)"
The Draft American Declaration of the Rights of the Indigenous Persons appears to be a working document
At a CARICOM Meeting, representatives of Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana respectively signed The Double Taxation Relief (CARICOM) Treaty 1994 on 19 August 1994.
This treaty covered taxes, residence, tax jurisdictions, capital gains, business profits, interest, dividends, royalties and other areas.
On 30 June 2014, Guyana signed a Model 1 agreement with the United States of America in relation to theForeign Account Tax Compliance Act(FATCA).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.
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, andNew Amsterdam. There are two international airports (Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri and Eugene F. Correia International Airport (formerlyOgle Airport); along with about 90 airstrips, nine of which have paved runways. Guyana, Suriname and theFalkland Islandsare the only three regions in South America thatdrive on the left.
The electricity sector in Guyana is dominated byGuyana Power and Light(GPL), the state-owned vertically integrated utility. Although the country has a large potential for hydroelectric andbagasse-fuelled power generation, most of its 226MWof installed capacity correspond to diesel-engine driven generators.
Several initiatives are in place to improveenergy access in the hinterland.
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.
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 toTrinidad and TobagoandSuriname, 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 includeMashramani(Mash),Phagwah(Holi), andDeepavali(Diwali).
The major sports in Guyana arecricket(Guyana is part of theWest Indies cricket teamfor international cricket purposes),basketball,footballand volleyball.Minor sports includesoftball cricket (beach cricket), field hockey,netball,rounders,lawn tennis, table tennis,boxing,squash,rugby,horse racingand a few others.
Guyana played host tointernational cricketmatches as part of the2007 Cricket World Cup(CWC 2007). The new 15,000-seatProvidence 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 Malingaof theSri Lankan teamtook four wickets in four consecutive deliveries.
Guyana's national basketball teamhas traditionally been one of the top contenders at theCaribeBasket, the top international basketball tournament for countries in theCaribbean.
For international football purposes,Guyanais part of CONCACAF. The highest league in their club system is theGFF Elite League.Guyana's national football teamhas never qualified for theFIFA World Cup; however, they qualified for theCaribbean Cupin1991, finishing fourth, and2007. In 2019, they qualified for theCONCACAF Gold Cupfor the first time, after finishing seventh in thequalifiers. They finished third in Group D, having lost two matches and drawn one.
Guyana also has five courses for horse racing.
Guyana featured abeach volleyballteam at the2019 South American Beach Games.
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