Guyana is located in South America, bordering Venezuela, Brazil and Suriname, and the Atlantic Ocean. Untouched rainforests and impressive waterfalls are just 2 of the many reasons to visit this exciting country. See Andyeducation for education in Guyana.
| Capital City | george town |
| Size | 214,970 km² |
| Resident | 735,000 |
| Official Language | English |
| Currency | Guyanese Dollar |
| Time Zone | UTC-4 |
| Telephone Area Code | +592 |
Fast facts to know
- Name means “land of many waters”.
- Only South American country that continues to use the death penalty.
- Guyana dollar is subject to relatively high inflation.
- Only country in South America where English is spoken.
- Alluvial zones, river deltas, mangroves and salt marshes are usually not suitable for swimming.
- Due to its colonial history in culture and way of life rather a Caribbean country.
- Gold and diamond fields threaten nature, many illegal prospectors.
- Iwokrama and Pakaraima Mountains are one of the four last largely untouched rainforest zones on earth.
- There is left-hand traffic.
- Guyana’s constitution guarantees freedom of belief and religion > colorful coexistence of countless faiths.
- Unexplored rainforests with more than 700 species of birds and more than 1,000 species of trees.
- It houses a variety of exotic plants such as the huge Victoria Regia (water lily), colorful orchids, the Greenheart (iron-hard ebony), the sky-storming Mora tree or the bromeliads, in whose flowers the tiny poison dart frog “Golden Frog” hides for the rest of its life.
Exciting cities in Guyana
- george town
- NewAmsterdam
- Corriverton
- Bartica
History of Guyana
- In the 17th and 18th centuries, it consisted of the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice, which were founded by the Netherlands.
- 1763 slave uprising in Berbice.
- Ownership changed several times between the colonial powers of the Netherlands, Great Britain and France until 1815.
- In 1831 the colony of British Guiana was founded.
- 1834 Abolition of slavery.
- In 1953 British troops intervened in British Guiana to prevent a communist state.
- 1966 Independence from the UK.
- 1970 Cooperative Republic Declaration under Prime Minister Forbes Burnham.
- 1978 Jonestown massacre.
- 1989 economic program: away from a state-controlled planned economy towards a free market economy.
Climate & travel weather in Guyana
- Year-round tropical climate with only small temperature differences.
- Coast: two distinct rainy seasons (November to January, May to July).
- Savanna region: a rainy season from late April to late September.
- Guyana is outside the hurricane belt and is not threatened by hurricanes.
- Recommended travel time:
- Freshwater fishing: mid-February to April and late August to late November.
- Trekking tours and bird watching: dry seasons.
- Waterfalls in Potaro National Park: end of the rainy season / beginning of the dry season.
Ideas for excursions in Guyana
- Orinduik Falls.
- Boat trips through rainforests of the Iwokrama and Pakaraima Mountains.
- Experience the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway (hanging bridges & platforms in the treetops).
- Guided tour to the diamond and gold mines.
- george town
- Town Hall.
- Walther Roth Museum.
- National Museum of Guyana.
- Botanical Garden.
- Stabroek Market.
- Potaro National Park.
- Vacation on a ranch.
- Horseback riding in the savannah.
- Guided tours along the Guyana River through beautiful nature.
Eating & Drinking in Guyana
- Influence of European, African and Indian culture noticeable.
- Spices such as nutmeg, ginger, cane sugar, pepper and allspice are considered important elements.
- Staple foods: Rice, bread, yams, sweet potatoes, cassava and plantains.
- Rich in fresh vegetables and fruits from the rainforest.
- On the coast: Fish and shrimp abound.
- National dish: Bouillon d’Awara.
- In general, Guyana’s cuisine is relatively hot and spicy.
- Popular drinks: Banks (local beer) and Demerara rum (Guyanese specialty).
- Typical dishes:
- Poulet and poisson boucané (smoked chicken and fish).
- Blaff (onion, garlic, celery and basil soup).
- Pimentade (fish soup with tomato sauce).
- Rôti Cougnade (grilled fish).
- Fricassees with rice and red beans.
- Bouillon d’Awara (pulp of this palm tree with smoked chicken and fish stew).
- Fufu (plantains).
- Metemgee (plantains cooked with yams, cassava and edow in coconut milk and coconut meat).
- Chicken Sag (Chicken Curry).
- Garlic Pork (pork in garlic).
- Pepper Pot (Hot stew flavored with cassreep, an extract of cassava root).
Particularly scenic
- Savannah landscape Rupununi.
- Potaro National Park with the Kaieteur Waterfalls.
- Pristine rainforests.
- highland region.
