Georgetown Guyana
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Guyana: A Brief History
Before the Spanish, French, Dutch and British ever thought about establishing colonies and fighting over the area now known as Guyana, aboriginal peoples had settled these lands for centuries. The Warrau Indians were thought to have been here before 900… Continue reading
Official Name
The Co-operative Republic of Guyana. Georgetown is the capital city.
National Symbols
Population
Approximately 751,223 (Census 2002) of which 90% live along the coastal strip and banks of the three major rivers. The ethnic composition of the population is as follows:
- East Indian 43.5%
- Black (African) 30.2%
- Mixed 16.7%
- Amerindian 9.1%
- Other 0.5%
Location
North East of South America between 1o & 9o North Latitude and 57o & 61o West Longitude, bordering Venezuela to the West, Brazil to the South, Suriname to the East.
Language
The official language is English. Often spoken with a Caribbean Creole flavour. Guyana is also the only English speaking country in South America.
Government
Guyana became independent from Britain in 1966 and a “Cooperative Republic in 1970, when a non executive President replaced the Governor-General. A new constitution in 1980 gave the President wide executive powers. The Cabinet is headed by the President, and there is a 65-member National Assembly elected by proportional representation.
President: Bharat Jagdeo
Prime Minister: Samuel Hinds
Other information
Currency: Guyana Dollar
Time Zone: GMT – 04:00
Area: 214,970 km2 or 83,000 sq mi
Country Code: 592
We drive on the left side of the road.