Guyana
| Co-operative Republic of Guyana (in) | ||||||
| Cooperative Republic of Guyana (en) | ||||||
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| National motto : One People, One Nation, One Destiny (One People, One Nation, One Destiny) | ||||||
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| Official language | English | |||||
| Capital | Georgetown 6 46'N 58 10'W / 6767, 58,167 6 46'N 58 10'W / 6767, 58167 | |||||
| Largest city | Georgetown | |||||
| Form of State | Republic | |||||
| - President Prime Minister | Bharrat Jagdeo Samuel Hinds | |||||
| Area - Total - Water (%) | Ranked 81 th 214 970 km 2 8,4 | |||||
| Population - Total ( 2008 ) - Density | Ranked 155 th 770 794 inhabitants. 3.56 inhabitants / km 2 | |||||
| Independence - Date | The United Kingdom 26 May 1966 | |||||
| Demonym | Guyana (do) | |||||
| Currency | Guyana Dollar ( GYD ) | |||||
| Time Zone | UTC -4 | |||||
| National anthem | Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Palms | |||||
| Internet domain | . Gy | |||||
| Indicative Telephone | +592 | |||||
Guyana, Guyana, Cooperative Republic of Guyana or the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, British formerly British Guiana , is the only state of the Commonwealth located in South America. Located north of the equator but in the tropics , it has coastline on the ocean Atlantic. Guyana is bordered to the east by Suriname , south and southwest by Brazil and west by Venezuela. This is the third smallest country in South America and is one of the poorest. It is about the size of Britain. Guyana is the only South American country whose official language is the English , and is one of only two countries in the Americas where driving is on the left.
Guyana means "land of abundant water" in Native American. The country is characterized by its vast rain forests dissected by numerous rivers, creeks and waterfalls, including Falls Kaieteur on the river Potaro. The tepuys of Guyana are famous for being the inspiration for the novel by Arthur Conan Doyle , The Lost World in 1912.
The capital of Guyana is Georgetown.
Summary |
History
When the first Europeans arrived in the area around 1500, Guyana was inhabited by the Arawaks , the tribes of the Caribs and Amerindians. Although Guyana has been seen for the first time by Christopher Columbus during his third voyage (in 1498), it has not been colonized by Europeans until the Dutch lay there in 1616 three separate colonies, Essequibo (1616 ), Berbice (1627), and Demerara (1752). The command was assumed by the British in the late eighteenth century and the Dutch formally ceded the territory in 1814. In 1831, the three territories became a single British colony known as British Guiana. It gained its independence in 1966 under the name of Guyana.
In 1974 the community is created Jonestown about ten miles from Port Kaituma by the Reverend Jim Jones. This community of the sect of the Peoples Temple story enters the 18 November 1978 by the mass suicide of 914 people including 276 children.
Politics
Subdivisions
Guyana is divided into 10 regions.
Geography
The landscape of Guyana can be roughly divided into three regions:
- a narrow marshy plain along the coast of Atlantic ;
- a belt of white sand inside the country with the virgin forest and most of the ore deposits;
- the widest part of the country consists of mountains and savannah. The highest point is Mount Roraima culminating at 2835 meters.
The main rivers are the Essequibo , the Demerara , the Corentyne and Berbice.
The climate is tropical , nearly equatorial, that is to say, hot and humid, but still moderated by trade winds from the northeast along the coast. There are two rainy seasons, the first of May to mid-August, the second from mid-November to mid-January.
Land boundaries
Land claims
Guyana is faced with two land claims by its neighbors:
- For Venezuela: the Guayana Esequiba , the border zone between the two countries and the river Essequibo. Old claim (before the independence of Guyana), it represents 62% of its territory.
- By Suriname: An area in the southeast corner of Guyana.
Economy
Main crops: rice, sugarcane, coffee and citrus. Mineral resources: bauxite, manganese, gold and diamonds. Exports: bauxite, manganese, gemstones and rum. Imports: food and oil.
Demographics
The people of Guyana are called Guyanese and Guyanese. Not to be confused with Guyana and Guyanese who are the inhabitants of Guyana.
| Origin | Proportion |
|---|---|
| India | 51% |
| Africa | 30% |
| mixture of Europeans and Indians | 11% |
| Native American Indians | 5% |
| Other | 3% |
Culture
| Date | French name | Local Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day | New Year's Day | |
| February 23 | Mashramani | Mashramani-Republic Day | |
| March / April | Holi | Phagwah | |
| March / April | Youman Nabi | ||
| March / April | Friday | Good Friday | |
| March / April | Easter Monday | Easter Monday | |
| May 1 | Labor Day | Labour Day | |
| May 5 | Indian Arrival Day | ||
| May 26 | Independence Day | Independence Day | |
| 1st Monday of July | CARICOM Day | ||
| August 1 | Emancipation Day | ||
| (Changing date) | Eid el-Fitr | Eid-ul-Fitr | |
| October / November | Divali | Diwali | |
| December 25 | Christmas | Christmas | |
| December 26 | Boxing Day | Boxing Day |
Other statistics
Population: 697,181 inhabitants ( 2001 ). 0-14 years: 28.19% 15-64 years: 66.89% + 65 years: 4.92%
Area: 214,970 sq km
Density: 3.2 inhabitants / km
Coastline: 459 km
Elevation Extremes: 0 m> m + 2835
Male life expectancy: 61 years (in 2001)
Female life expectancy: 66 years (in 2001)
Rate of population growth: 0.07% (in 2001)
Birth rate: 17.92 (2001)
Death rate: 8.87 (in 2001)
Infant mortality rate: 38.72 (2001)
Fertility rate: 2.1 children born / woman (2001)
Migration rate: - 8.38 (in 2001)
Independence: 26 May 1966 (former British colony)
Telephone lines: 70,000 (in 2000 )
Mobile Phones: 6100 (2000)
Radios: 420,000 (in 1997 )
Televisions: 46,000 (in 1997)
Internet users: 3,000 (in 2000)
Number of Internet Service Providers: 3 (in 2000)
Roads: 7,970 km (590 km tarred) (in 1996 )
Railways: 187 km
Waterways: 5 900 km
Number of airports: 51 (including 6 with paved runways) (2000)
Codes
Guyana has the code:
- GUY , according to the standard ISO 3166-1 code alpha-3 (list of country codes)
- GUY , according to the list of country codes IOC ,
- GUY , according to the list of international codes of plates ,
- GUY , according to the list of country codes used by NATO , code alpha-3,
- GY , according to the list of country codes used by NATO , alpha-2 code,
- GY , according to the standard ISO 3166-1 (list of country codes), code alpha-2
See also
External Links
- Category Guyana directory dmoz
- (In) Official Website of the Government of Guyana
- (In) Official website of the Ministry of Tourism in Guyana
- (In) Official website of the Presidency of the Republic of Guyana
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