Introduction

Guyana is an amazing blend of the Caribbean and South America. The name Guyana is an Amerindian word meaning "Land of Many Waters". Guyana offers a distinct tourism product, consisting of vast open spaces, savannahs, pristine rainforests, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, bountiful wildlife, numerous species of flora, a variety of fauna, spectacular bird life and most of all the hospitality of the Guyanese people.

Guyana is a tropical paradise and has much to offer; adventure, tranquility, history, beauty, nature and an inimitable blend of warm and friendly people with the richness of many cultures. The country is divided into three counties; Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice and have four geographical regions; the interior savannahs, the highland region, the hilly sand and clay area and the low coastal plain.

Guyana is made up of ten administrative regions:

    Region 1 - Barima Waini
    Region 2 - Pomeroon-Supenaam
    Region 3 - Essequibo Islands-West Demerara
    Region 4 - Demerara- Mahaica
    Region 5 - Mahaica-Berbice
    Region 6 - East Berbice - Corentyne
    Region 7 - Cuyuni-Mazaruni
    Region 8 - Potaro-Siparuni
    Region 9 - Upper Takutu- Upper Essequibo
    Region 10 - Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice.

History

British Guiana became a Crown colony in 1928, and in 1953 it was granted home rule. In 1950, Cheddi Jagan, who was Indian-Guyanese, and Forbes Burnham, who was Afro-Guyanese, created the colony's first political party, the Progressive People's Party (PPP), which was dedicated to gaining the colony's independence. In the 1953 elections, Cheddi Jagan was elected chief minister. The British, however, alarmed by Jagan's Marxist views, suspended the constitution and government within months and installed an interim government.

In 1955, the PPP split, with Burnham breaking off to create the People's National Congress (PNC). The leftist Jagan of the PPP and the more moderate Burnham of the PNC were to dominate Guyanan politics for decades to come. In 1961, Britain granted the colony autonomy, and Jagan became prime minister (1961–1964). Strikes and rioting weakened Jagan's rule, much of it believed to be the result of covert CIA operations. In 1964, Burnham succeeded Jagan as prime minister, a position he retained after the country gained full independence on May 26, 1966. With independence, the country returned to its traditional name, Guyana.
Geography

Guyana is a country in Northern South America and part of Caribbean South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela. With a land area of approximately 197,000 square kilometres, Guyana is about the size of Idaho. The country is situated between 1 and 9 north latitude and between 56 and 62 west longitude.

With a 430-kilometres Atlantic coastline on the northeast, Guyana is bounded by Venezuela on the west, Brazil on the west and south, and Suriname on the east. The land comprises three main geographical zones: the coastal plain, the white sand belt, and the interior highlands.

Culture

The Culture of the South American nation, Guyana, is very similar to that of the English speaking Caribbean, so much so that Guyana is considered a Caribbean Nation. Guyana shares similar interests with the islands of the West Indies, such as food, festive events, music, sports, etc.

Cultural events

• Mashramani
• Phagwah
• Deepavali (Diwali)
• Folk Festival
• Rodeo

Religion

Many religions are practised in Guyana, the predominant ones being Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam.