The Co-operative Republic of Guyana is a nation of northern South America. It constitutes the western part of the wider region of Guiana (an Amerindian word meaning Land of Many Waters), and is bordered to the east by Suriname, to the south by Brazil, to the west by Venezuela and to the north by the Atlantic Ocean. The most southern part of the border with Suriname is disputed (upper Corantijn river - the map shows the Guyana version of the border).
The abolition of slavery in 1834 led to black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured labourers from India, China and Portugal to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural divide has persisted and has on occasion led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1966 and became a republic in 1970, remaining a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Legislative power rests in the unicameral Guyanese parliament, the National Assembly, with 53 members chosen on the basis of proportional representation from national lists named by the political parties. An additional 12 members are elected by regional councils at the same time as the National Assembly.
Executive authority is exercised by the president, who appoints and supervises the prime minister and other ministers. The president is not directly elected; each party presenting a slate of candidates for the assembly must designate in advance a leader who will become president if that party receives the largest number of votes. Any dissolution of the assembly and election of a new assembly can lead to a change in the assembly majority and consequently a change in the presidency.
The highest judicial body is the Court of Appeal, headed by a chancellor of the judiciary. The second level is the High Court, presided over by a chief justice. The chancellor and the chief justice are appointed by the president.
The Guyanese landscape can be roughly divided into three regions; a narrow, marshy plain along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, a white sand belt more inland containing rainforests and most of Guyana's mineral deposits, and finally the larger interior highlands consisting mostly of savannas and mountains, the highest being Mount Roraima at 2,835 m. Major rivers include the Essequibo, the Demerara, the Corentyne and the Berbice.
The local climate is tropical and generally hot and humid, though moderated by northeast trade winds along the coast. There are two rainy seasons, the first from May to mid-August, the second from mid-November to mid-January.
The Guyanese economy has exhibited moderate economic growth since 1999, based on an expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a more favourable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support of international organisations. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labour and a deficient infrastructure. The government is juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. Low prices for key mining and agricultural commodities combined with troubles in the bauxite and sugar industries threaten the government's already tenuous fiscal position and dim prospects for the future.
Guyana has a diverse ethnic population: the three major groups are the (East) Indians or Indo-Guyanese (50%) who have remained predominantly rural, the Africans or Afro-Guyanese (36%) who constitute the majority urban population, and the Amerindians (7%) who live in the country's interior. Chinese and Europeans (mostly Portuguese and British) and those of mixed origins make up the remainder.
Christianity (50%), Hinduism (35%), and Islam (10%) are the dominant religions in Guyana, with the latter two concentrated in the Indo-Guyanese community. Ninety percent of the inhabitants live on the narrow coastal plain, where population density is more than 115 persons per km².
Travel Guyana: (Guyana Overview) The official webpages of the Tourism & Hospitality Association of Guyana http://www.interknowledge.com/guyana
The British High Commission, Georgetown, Guyana Information for UK citizens visiting or living in Guyana together with information for Guyanese citizens wishing to travel to the UK to live, work, and study. http://www.britain-in-guyana.org/
Guyana Online Tourist Guide Guyana tourist information with places to stay and things to do. http://www.turq.com/guyana/
Guyana Visa Application - Tourist Visas Travel Document Systems; Passport and visa services. For US Passport Holders only. http://www.traveldocs.com/gy/index.htm
Roraima Airways Charters, scheduled flights, travel agency, excursions, medical evacuation services and second hand boats. http://www.roraimaairways.com
Guyana Adventist Medical Aviation Service A Medical Aviation Missionary Program website with many pictures and stories of their work in Guyana. http://www.tagnet.org/gma/index.htm
Island Connoisseur - Guyana Travel information about Guyana. http://www.caribbeansupersite.com/guyana/index.htm
Guyana Zoo Web Site of the Guyana Zoological Park - one of the most visited locations in Guyana. http://www.guyanazoo.org.gy/
Travellers Tips to Guyana Destination information on Guyana for Hong Kong citizens. http://www.travel.com.hk/guyana.htm
Wilderness Explorers Tour Operator, comprehensive site with many excellent photographs of Guyana http://www.wilderness-explorers.com
Splashmins Fun Park Recreation Park with Water Sports, Beach, and other facilities. http://www.splashmins.com
Shell Beach Adventures Tour Operator with variety of itineraries but specialising in visits to sea-turtle conservation sites. http://www.sbadventures.com
First Nations Vacations Amerindian owned, operated, & marketed Eco-Tourism enterprise in the English-Speaking Caribbean. Based in Barbados. http://www.GuidedCulturalTours.com
Rainbow River Marshall Falls Guyana 17,000 acre wildlife conservation area in interior rain forest of Guyana. Good birding, exotic plants,trekking,fresh water beaches swimming waterfalls no mosquitoes. Near the towns of Bartica and Linden. http://hometown.aol.com/tedsabat/rainbowrivermarshallfallsguyana.html
Guyana Travel & Entertainment Website VisitGt.com is a source for first-time, frequent or occasional travellers to Guyana. Vacationers can research information on how to get to Guyana and things to do once you arrive. http://www.visitgt.com
Guyana's Online Eco-Tourism An online listing of tour operators,hotels,restaurants and general information for the potential tourist to Guyana, South America. http://guyanatours.tripod.com/
Guyana World Challenge Expedition Details of a group's travels through Guyana in 2001 on a World Challenge expedition. Includes group journal of events. Photo gallery. http://www.geocities.com/gwce2001
Guyana Tourism Authority The official Tourism site of Guyana. Information about eco-tourism, adventure tourism, cultural tourism, community tourism, heritage sites, guyanese events, tour operators, places to dine, tips about travelling to Guyana. http://www.guyana-tourism.com
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