Guyana

Where is Guyana located? Guyana belongs to the continent of South America. It is situated in the northern region of South America, on the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean. The names of its three border countries are Suriname, Brazil and Venezuela.

Guyana population and size Guyana is a coastal country in South America. The estimated area size of this North South American country is 214,969 km sq. It is predicted that the country has a population of around 747,880 with Guyana’s most populous city being the capital of Georgetown.

The capital of Guyana The capital city of Guyana is Georgetown which is positioned in the north of the country. Georgetown is the most populated city in Guyana and has an estimated population of 124,000 inhabitants. The region is known for being culturally rich. There are a range of incredible landmarks in the capital city of Georgetown including the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Saint George's Cathedral, Saint Andrew's Kirk Church, Parliament Building, City Hall, Square of the Revolution, and Demerara Harbour Bridge. Georgetown is famous for its British colonial architecture and Anglican cathedral, and its links with the Caribbean. The city is rich in culture and produces many local goods. A clock tower stands tall in Georgetown, rising above the famous cast-iron Stabroek Market building; one of the city's most famous landmarks.

Guyana major cities There are numerous major cities in Guyana, the names of the largest and most important cities and towns include the country’s capital Georgetown, Linden and New Amsterdam. The name of Guyana's second largest town is Linden which is situated in the north-eastern area of the country on the Demerara River. Linden is an important mining town that features numerous deep bauxite mines. Bauxite can be described as a source of aluminum metal, the largest source of aluminum in the world. Bauxite mining is very important as it is one of the country's main economic activities. Other activities that are core to the economy of Guyana include gold mining, fishing and agriculture.

Guyana Flag The National Flag of Guyana was adopted in May 1966 and can be described as having a brightly colored design incorporating the colors green, gold (yellow), red, black and white. The colors were chosen to represent this country's history, culture and geography. The flag, known commonly as 'The Golden Arrowhead' was designed by a vexillologist named Whitney Smith Jr.

Guyana Flag The flag of Guyana is known as ‘The Golden Arrow’ as its design features a vibrant green background with a golden arrow, or triangle, which incorporates a smaller red arrow (triangle) on the hoist side. The golden arrow has white edges and the red arrow has black edges. The proportion of the Guyanese flag is 3:5.

Guyana Flag The flag of Guyana was designed by a scholar of flags, an American vexillologist known as Whitney Smith Jr. The original design did not include white or black edges around the golden arrow nor red arrow which were later added to enhance the flag's design. These additional fimbriations were suggestions made by the UK's College of Arms.

Guyana Flag Whilst a self-governing member of the British Empire, British Guiana ran a competition to design a new national flag in 1962, the year expected to mark the nation’s independence. However, Guyana did not gain independence from the United Kingdom until 1966. This is the only English speaking nation on the continent of South America. Guyana is one of four non-Spanish speaking nations, the other being French Guiana, Suriname, and Brazil.

Guyana Flag The vibrant colors of the flag are symbolic of this country’s history, culture, geography and wealth. The color green depicts the rich forests and agriculture of Guyana, the color white symbolizes its rivers and water, and the color gold is representative of the nation’s mineral wealth. Black shows the perseverence of Guyana and red honors the sacrifices made by its people. The arrow on the flag’s design points towards the country’s golden future.

Map of Guyana

Geography

The geography of Guyana is very interesting as the country is dominated majorly by rainforest land but also features coastal plain, areas of sand, clay and marsh, hills, rolling highlands, savanna grasslands, mountains and rivers. An array of fauna and flora can be found in this South American country as its climate and geography support a diverse range of animals and plant life. Guyana is home to large groups of mammals such as tapirs and monkeys as well as small amphibians such as the golden frog. The spectacular Kaieteur Falls alone attract visitors from all over the world to this scenic country. The falls comprise of a stunning 226m waterfall that has to witnessed to be believed. Guyana provides the perfect gateway to the incredible wildlife species found living on the continent of South America. The biodiversity of this country can be described as being both interesting and amazing, and most certainly worth a visit.

Climate

The climate in Guyana can be described as tropical, humid and hot. The trade winds of the northeast moderate the heat and the country experiences two rainy seasons which occur from May to August and November to January.

Famous landmarks

There are several interesting landmarks, monuments and buildings in Guyana including the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology, Square of the Revolution, Zoo, Botanical Gardens, numerous monuments, historical and religious sites including cathedrals, churches and mosques.

Guyana is famous for for being the only English speaking country on the continent of South America and for its natural beauty, lush, rich forests that dominate its land and for its Caribbean flavors, culture and traditions. Its important to point out that although Guyana is not located in the West Indies, the country is in fact, situated in the Caribbean Region and therefore takes on a strong Caribbean influence enhanced by its historical links and proximity to the islands.

Culture

The majority of the population speak the country's official language, English and Guyanese Creole which can be described as an creole language based on the English language. Guyana is one of the few English speaking countries in South America making it a popular first stop in South America for many English speaking visitors.

The people of Guyana enjoy many activities including sport, theatre, film, literature and art. The most popular types of sport in this South America country are football and cricket. The cuisine in Guyana reflects Caribbean influences with curry, rice and peas being some of the most favored foods here. Music features heavily in the lives of many with calypso and reggae being extremely popular throughout the country. Due to the Guyana's history and close location to the islands of the Caribbean, its culture is heavily influenced by those of the Caribbean.

The flag

The national flag of Guyana, known widely as The Golden Arrowhead, first appeared on May 26,1966, and has a large golden arrow which features on a green background with a smaller red arrow at its hoist. The Guyanese flag is identifiable by its vibrant green, red and yellow golden colors. The golden arrow is edged with white and the red arrow is edged with black; the original flag did not have these additions. The flag of Guyana was designed by an America scholar of flags named Whitney Smith Jr, and the colors chosen represent the history, economy, strength, resources and geography of Guyana. Green relates to the country's lush vegetation and forests, white symbolizes its rivers, gold portrays the mineral wealth of its land, red honors the sacrifices made by its people, and black is indicative of perseverance.

Guyana