Overview
Guyana is on South America's northeastern coast, with an area of 196,850 km2 and a population of just under 700,000. These data were taken from the CIA World Factbook - Guyana but I've reproduced them here because I love my readers and I wouldn't have you trekking off somewhere else for such little things. At any rate, Guyana is a small, sparsely populated, decidedly undeveloped nation, just smaller than Great Britain, and it is located just north of the equator.
The most fascinating aspect of Guyana is the diversity of its culture, with inhabitants from six main groups - Indians (of the Asian variety) comprising 51% of the population, African descendants (38%), Chinese, Portuguese, descendants of indentured laborers, Britons, and American Indians. Guyana was a British colony, and most of its towns' names reflect that - its capital is Georgetown, and other important cities are Anna Regina, Corriverton, Rose Hall, and New Amsterdam. Its official language is still English, and in informal usage Creolese, an English creole, is also quite important. Hindi and Urdu are used liturgically by Guyana's Hindu and Muslim inhabitants, and the Native American population has widely retained their traditional languages.
History and government
The history of Guyana is complex; since colonization it has been the target of frequent squabbling among Great Britain, France, and the Netherlands. The first successful colony was established by the Dutch in 1616 on an island in the Essequibo River. Settlements formed in neighboring areas and the Dutch established other colonies during the following century. Great Britain seized the colonies in 1781, but they were handed off several times between the colonial powers until 1831 when they were finally united as British Guiana. Guyana remained a British colony until May 1966 when it became an independent state. It is now a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations and of the Carribean Community (CARICOM).
Guyana has a democratic government, led by a President who presides over the National Assembly, a unicameral parliament with 65 members. The president is assisted by a Prime Minister who leads the Assembly. Elections are held every five years. The economy of Guyana is fairly dependent on a few exports: gold, bauxite, sugar, and rice. Its tropical forests are logged to a small but growing extent for export to Asia.
The land
Guyana has an extremely pleasant climate, moderated by trade winds, with an average temperature of 28°C (81°F). It is fairly wet, with around 230 cm (90 inches) of rainfall in much of the country, and more in rainforest regions. There are drier savannah areas as well, which receive a good deal of rainfall (150 cm, 60 in) of rain per year, but concentrated during the summer rainy season. Overall, the climate is mild, with no hurricanes and few prolonged droughts.
The rainy climate corresponds to a watery landscape, with an immense number of rivers and waterfalls, including the Kaieteur Falls, which have a drop of 741 feet, about five times the height of Niagara Falls. The coastal areas are low, and rely upon dykes and canals, many dating to the Dutch colonial period, to keep out the sea. There is also an extensive sandy, hilly region, with scrub and forests, and it contains deposits of bauxite, which is one of the nation's major industries. Most of the country, however, is well-forested highlands, composed of four mountain ranges: the Imataka, the Pakaraima, the Kanuku, and the Akarai. These mountains are fairly low and contain valuable mineral deposits, including gold and diamonds. The savannah regions lie in the most interior parts of Guyana; they include the Rupunni, which is in the southwestern portion of the country and is divided by the Kanuku mountains.
Guyana is well-known for the beauty of its landscape, with many lakes and waterfalls, large amounts of pristine rainforest, and a remarkable assortment of tropical wildlife. Ecotourism is a growing industry in the country. Georgetown is also a popular destination, known as the "Garden City of the Carribean". It is below the high-tide mark, and the massive seawall that keeps the ocean out is an idyllic location. Georgetown is, however, poor and many parts of it are dilapidated. It is also home to a certain amount of unrest, although violence is uncommon. The aforementioned Kaieteur Falls are the most important tourist destination in Guyana; they form one of the most fantastical natural sights in the world, with an immense, sheer drop off of a sandstone table into a deep valley.
The economy
Guyana is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Its per capita GDP was only 369 USD as of 1990, although it has improved somewhat since then. During the 1980s the economy underwent an immense deterioration, with a continually declining GDP and major devaluations of the Guyanese Dollar. The economy was in disarray during this period as a result of the socialist policies implemented by President Linden Forbes Burnham from independence through the 1970s. Most major industries were government-run, including the important exports of sugar and bauxite.
What little infrastructure existed was allowed to deteriorate, and it is still a major impediment to growth. Adequate transportation doesn't exist; outlying areas are inaccessible except through slow ferry rides over the nation's many rivers. Electricity and water service, where they existed, are unreliable. Production was low and enormous debts were incurred.
Economic recovery
However, beginning in the early 1990s, the government began a program of economic recovery. State-run industries were gradually privatized and foreign investment encouraged. The death of President Burnham allowed for a dismantling of the nation's socialist policies, and the use of its immense store of natural resources, especially its mineral wealth, has allowed a certain degree of economic growth.
The most dramatic efforts of the government were in liberalizing trade. Import and export restrictions were loosened, and price controls were dropped on many goods while the government offered incentives to foreign investors. Much of this was under the auspices of the International Monetary Fund and thus the focus of the government's efforts has been on the national economy rather than the welfare of its citizens. However, efforts have been far more successful than in many of the countries 'helped' by IMF intervention and a great deal of improvement has occurred.
Another portion of the government's program was to help integrate the illegal and underground economies of the nation, largely through legalizing currency exchange. The currency was devalued several times so that it could be traded freely. Finally, the nation's debt was shored up by IMF efforts. The government worked to raise revenue with with to service its debts, but efforts have been only partially successful. The debt has diminished and annual debt service fell from 43% of the GDP in 1992 to 12% in 1997, a significant improvement.
Guyana's credit status has improved and the negative impact of interest payments has abated somewhat, although debt is still at an unsustainable level. During the 1990s, every sector of the economy has improved, with tremendous growth in mining, agriculture, and manufacturing. The growth in Guyana's economy is undeniable, and the IMF's market reforms have been largely successful, even if improvement in standard of living has been somewhat slower. Guyana is still one of the poorest nations in the hemisphere, but there is strong reason to suggest that it stands to continue to improve a great deal.
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