Greetings! We recently returned from a trip to Guyana (guy-ANN-uh; country #101), where we were able to experience the capital, Georgetown, and surrounding areas. Below, you will find information and photos from our trip.
Guyana (meaning “Land of Many Waters” in the indigenous language; formerly British Guiana [ghee-AH-nuh]) is the third smallest country (behind Suriname and Uruguay) in South America, bordered by Venezuela (to the West, with whom they have been involved in territorial disputes), Suriname (to the East), Brazil (to the South), and the Atlantic Ocean (to the North). It is the only country in South America where English is the official language. Guyana has a population of almost 800,000 people, 110,000 of which live in the capital of Georgetown (named in honor of King George III after the British took possession from the Dutch). We were told that it is “underpopulated,” as when Venezuela was stronger, many Guyanese moved there and started to have families, though they have since started to move back. The rate at which Guyanese people emigrate is among the highest in the world, as 55% of Guyanese citizens live abroad. Guyana is made up of people from East Indian, African, Mixed, and Indigenous descent, all of which is reflected in their food and culture, as well as the language, as there are native languages still spoken by Amerindians.
(one of only two domed buildings in the country)
While the land that eventually became Guyana (and was originally inhabited by native people) was reportedly “sighted” by Christopher Columbus in 1498, the first settlers were the Dutch in 1580. The Dutch brought slaves to the area from West Africa around the middle of the 17th-century. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, the power in Guyana exchanged between the French and British, and the area ultimately became British Guiana in 1831.
In 1763, a plantation overseer was killed in a county of Guyana called Berbice (bur-BEES). The slaves rose together to become a military unit, and they attacked and massacred Dutch plantation owners. The slaves (led by Coffy) were able to drive out the Dutch, and attempted to take over the responsibilities of the plantations. However, they struggled with this, and Coffy subsequently appealed to the Dutch governor for assistance. The response was delayed, and ultimately, “reinforcements” arrived from Europe, and the slaves who were identified as spearheading the revolt were tortured and killed (though Coffy had already reportedly died by suicide). Today, those same slaves have been hailed as heroes and freedom fighters.
The slave trade was abolished in 1807, and slaves were granted full emancipation in 1838, many of whom subsequently established settlements along the coast. Those same freed slaves hired indentured servants, mostly from India. Gold was discovered in 1879, booming in the 1890s, which provided a large economic boost for the area. For several decades, there was reportedly a lot of complicated politics (including corruption) in Guyana. In May 1966, they petitioned for and were granted independence from the United Kingdom, and subsequently established a political structure that includes a president (who has the most power), vice president, and prime minister. They hold elections every four years, and the party that is elected to the presidency selects the prime minister.
Guyana had a significant flood in 1855 after a significantly high tide. The Dutch came in and helped to divert the water to/from the river and the ocean. They had at least two other significant floods (1945 and 2005) due to heavy rainfall. As a result, many of the homes have been built on stilts because Georgetown is a low-lying area with parts of the city under sea level. Guyana continues to receive a lot of rain, most of which falls in December/January, and then from April to June.
While Guyana is about 1.5 hours by plane to the nearest portion of the Amazon Rainforest (Brazil), they have some of the animals from the rainforest in the zoo in Georgetown. While most visitors to South America go to more popular destinations like Brazil, Guyana has begun to grow due to a recent (2015) discovery of offshore oil reserves. It is hoped that this will allow for an influx of financial resources for a country that is one of the poorest in the region.
Another tourist attraction (and valuable resource) is Kaieteur (kye-toor) Falls, which can be accessed via three-day trek through rainforest and 242sqmi/627sqkm of Kaieteur National Park, or from a nearby airstrip. Kaieteur Falls is one of the tallest, single-drop waterfalls in the world (741ft/226m drop over a cliff into the gorge below), and can be as wide as 122m/400ft during rainy season. The river from which it flows (Potaro River) is part of the Essequibo (ess-ay-KEE-boh; named after Christopher Columbus’ deputy commander) River basin.
Guyana was a very diverse/multicultural country that has a lot of character. It is underrated, and is the least visited country in South America, but is one that I would recommend that you put on your list, especially if you like/love waterfalls. Until next time, take care and be well…