Map of Guyana
Coat of Guyana
flag of Guyana
Forest of GuyanaGuyana (pronounced /ɡaɪˈænə/), officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana[1] and previously known as British Guiana, is a state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Discovered by Europeans in 1498, Guyana has been struggled over for 500 years by the Spanish, French, Dutch, and British. It is the only state of the Commonwealth of Nations on mainland South America. Guyana is also a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which has its secretariat headquarters in Guyana's capital, Georgetown. Guyana achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1966.
Historically, the region known as "Guiana" (Land of Many Waters) was the large shield landmass north of the Amazon River and East of the Orinoco River. Five sub-regions were carved out of the landmass by colonial powers in the late 17th and early 18th century: Spanish Guiana (now eastern Venezuela), Portuguese Guiana (now northern Brazil), British Guiana (Guyana), Dutch Guiana (Suriname), and the present French overseas department of French Guiana. Modern Guyana is bordered to the east by Suriname, to the south and southwest by Brazil, to the west by Venezuela, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean.
At 215,000 km2, Guyana is the third-smallest independent state on the mainland of South America (after Uruguay and Suriname). Its population is approximately 770,000. It is one of the four non-Spanish-speaking territories on the continent, along with the countries of Brazil (Portuguese), Suriname (Dutch), and French Guiana (French).
Etymology
The name "Guyana" is derived from guiana the original name for the region which now includes Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and parts of Venezuela and Brazil. It is believed the original term came from a Taino word meaning either "land of fast-flowing water" (a reference to the numerous rivers of the territory) or "respectable", but the most famous and permanent one is "The Land Of Many Waters".
Historically, the region known as "Guiana" (Land of Many Waters) was the large shield landmass north of the Amazon River and East of the Orinoco River. Five sub-regions were carved out of the landmass by colonial powers in the late 17th and early 18th century: Spanish Guiana (now eastern Venezuela), Portuguese Guiana (now northern Brazil), British Guiana (Guyana), Dutch Guiana (Suriname), and the present French overseas department of French Guiana. Modern Guyana is bordered to the east by Suriname, to the south and southwest by Brazil, to the west by Venezuela, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean.
At 215,000 km2, Guyana is the third-smallest independent state on the mainland of South America (after Uruguay and Suriname). Its population is approximately 770,000. It is one of the four non-Spanish-speaking territories on the continent, along with the countries of Brazil (Portuguese), Suriname (Dutch), and French Guiana (French).
Etymology
The name "Guyana" is derived from guiana the original name for the region which now includes Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and parts of Venezuela and Brazil. It is believed the original term came from a Taino word meaning either "land of fast-flowing water" (a reference to the numerous rivers of the territory) or "respectable", but the most famous and permanent one is "The Land Of Many Waters".
