Upstream Guyana
BACKGROUND GUYANA
Culturally diverse, coastal nation
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Guyana
Georgetown
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Guyana: Land of Many Waters
Area: 215,000 km²; >80% covered by rainforests; <400 km of paved roads.
Population: ~750,000 (90% reside along the coastal areas)
Ethnic groups: 44% East Indian, 30% Afro Guyanese, 17% mixed, 9%
indigenous
Capital: Georgetown (largest city; population ~300,000)
Official language: English (only SA country with English as official
language)
Economy: agriculture (rice, sugar), bauxite and gold mining, forestry
(timber), shrimp fishing, minerals, rum
History
Colonized by Dutch in early 1600s (Dutch Guiana until 1814)
British assumed control in late 1700s (British Guiana until 1966)
Independence from UK in May 1966; 50th anniversary in 2016
GDP: $6G (GDP per capita $6900)
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