Guyana
Ryan Atkins
World Geography I 1:30
December 3, 2007
1.
Government
a. The type of government in Guyana is a semi-presidential representative
democratic republic1
i. The President is head of government
ii. Multi-party system
b. The current President of Guyana is Bharrat
Jagdeo
c. This is the flag of Guyana2
Green: agriculture and
forests
White: rivers and water
Gold: mineral wealth
Black: endurance
Red: Zeal and
dynamism
d. The Capitol of Guyana is
Georgetown3
i. Population: approx
213,705 as of 2002
e. The Anthem of Guyana is
“Dear Land of Guyana, of
Rivers and Plains”
i. [click to hear]
This is the Capitol Building of Georgetown
2. Economy4
a. The labor force of Guyana consists of 418,000 workers as of 2001
b. The unemployment rate is 9.1% as of 2000
1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guyana#Politics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Guyana
3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgetown%2C_Guyana
4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guyana#Summary
2
c. The inflation rate is 6.0%
d. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is $3.62 billion ($4,700 per capita)
e. The Budget Revenue is $399 million5
i. $506.5 million in expenditures
1. $93.4 million capitol expenditures
f. The national debt is $221 million as of 2006
g. The currency is the Guyanese Dollar (GYD)6
h.
i. Inflation is 6%
i.
Its exports are sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum,
timber
3. History7
a. Guyana was originally inhabited by Arawak and Carib tribes when
Europeans first arrived in the area
b. First settled (by Europeans) by the Dutch in 1616 who established 3
separate colonies
c. British formally gained control in 1814
i. In 1831 the three merged to form British Guiana
d. Slavery abolished in 1834
a. United States used British airfields in Guyana during the WWII
b. Guyana became independent from the UK in 1966, and in February 1970
became a republic
5
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gy.html#Econ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guyanese_dollar
7
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guyana#History
6
4. Culture8
a. The major religions of Guyana are:
i. Christianity,
41.6%
ii. Hinduism,
28.8%
iii. Islam, 9%
iv. Other, 22.3
b. English is the official
language of Guyana.
Amerindian
languages are spoken
by a few, and
Guyanese Creole by
many.9
Roti (Guyanese traditional bread)
c. Guyana is racially heterogenous, with the major backgrounds from
Europe, Africa, China, and India.10
d. The population of Guyana was 769,095 as of July 2007 (all below as of
2007)11
i. The growth rate is 0.234%
ii. The birth rate is 18.09 births/1,000 population
iii. The death rate is 8.28 deaths/1,000 population
iv. The fertility rate is 2.04 children born/woman
v. The average life expectancy is 66.17 years
1. male: 63.52 years
female: 68.95 years
8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guyana#Culture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guyana#Languages
10
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guyana#Demographics
11
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gy.html
9
e. Guyanese food is similar to that of the Caribbean. It includes dishes such
as chicken curry, roti, and cookup rice (rice with different kinds of
vegetables and chicken, beef, or fish.)
f. The major sports of Guyana are cricket, softball cricket (beach cricket),
and football
i. Other popular sports include netball,
rounders, lawn tennis, basketball, table
tennis, & boxing
g. Guyana was the country in which the Jonestown
Massacre occurred.
A cricket ball
i. This massacre was the mass suicide/murder of the members of the
People’s Temple cult
5. Landforms / Maps
http://www.graphicmaps.com/webimage/countrys/samerica/lgcolor/
gycolor.htm
This map of
Guyana shows
some of the major
cities, rivers, and
mountain ranges.
It also gives a
colored scale of
elevation, which
increases the
farther west in the
country you are
located. It also
shows the
country’s highest
point, Monte
Roraima, which is
in the Pakaraima
Mountain Range.
It is 9,301 ft high.
“More than 80% of Guyana is still covered by forests, ranging from dry evergreen and
seasonal forests to montane and lowland evergreen rain forests. These forests are home to
more than a thousand species of trees. Guyana's tropical climate, unique geology, and
relatively pristine ecosystems support extensive areas of species-rich rain forests and
natural habitats with high levels of endemism. Approximately eight thousand species of
plants occur in Guyana, half of which are found nowhere else.
Guyana is one of countries with most high biodiversity on the world. Guyana, with 1,168
vertebrate species, 1600 bird spesies, boasts one of the richest mammalian fauna
assemblages of any
comparably sized area in
the world.”12
Kaietur Falls in central
Guyana
This satellite image
of Guyana shows the
incredible amount of
pristine forest area
still remaining.
12
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guyana#Environment_and_biodiversity
This image shows Guyana’s geographical location in the world.
6. Important Cities13
a. The capitol of Guyana is Georgetown. Some of its other most important
cities include:
i. Anna Regina
ii. Corriverton
iii. Rose Hall
iv. New Amsterdam
Kingston, Georgetown in the 19th century
13
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=Guyana
All above images, unless otherwise credited, came from Wikipedia and are as such under
public domain.
7. News Article14
Sherlock Arminus Rose known by his family and
friends as "Mark" is still a cool guy. But he's a
changed man. When he was a minibus driver in
Georgetown, the capital of Guyana (Learn More),
Mark was part of an in-crowd. Minibus drivers
wear flashy clothes, have ready cash and play
great music as they drive around the city. Young
men look up to them. Like all drivers, Mark was
sure of himself and lived life in the fast lane.
Then two of his close friends died of AIDS.
Download Hi-Res Version
Before their death three years ago, Mark, like
most drivers of Georgetown's colorful, free-wheeling minibuses, unconsciously played a
role in perpetuating the stigma against people who are HIV positive. Minibus drivers love
to gossip and talk to their passengers and can easily spread rumors and misinformation.
Many drivers were afraid of close contact with anyone suspected of being HIV positive
and openly discriminated against them.
14
http://www.un.org/works/smallislands/guyana.html
Mark's personal loss made him rethink his own attitudes.
He joined an outreach project that was targeting minibus
drivers in an effort to shift public perceptions towards
people with HIV/AIDS. He started as a volunteer with the
Guyana HIV/AIDS Youth Project which is funded by
USAID and his involvement grew. Today, he is a project
officer for the new Guyana HIV/AIDS Reduction and
Prevention project.
Mark has no illusions about the importance of his new
outlook and involvement. "The youth project was 'god
sent', because it has changed my life and that of my
See Detailed Map
friends," he says. "I believe if it wasn't for this project,
not only me, but a lot of my friends would be dead, especially when I think about the
reckless lifestyle we led."
What's Next for Mark? In Guyana, minibus drivers are very important to the fight against
HIV/AIDS. Their close contact with the public can play a pivotal role in changing
perceptions and attitudes, and in helping to lift the stigma that keeps people from getting
tested and treated. This is particularly important since Guyana has the second highest
HIV prevalence rate in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Mark no longer has time to drive minibuses. He dedicates himself to the work of the
Youth Project and fighting AIDS. Still, he keeps in contact with many of his former
colleagues who are now "peer educators". The results of their work are encouraging. "I
feel that people are more aware of issues related to HIV/AIDS and some of them are
beginning to change their behavior," he says.
Mark might no longer be a fast-paced minibus driver, but he's still a star player in shaping
the attitudes of young people. "Many persons who recognize me on the street as a result
of my involvement in HIV/AIDS work and my picture on the stigma and discrimination
poster usually approach me to discuss any issue and seek advice." He has high hopes that
Guyana will begin to reverse the rate of HIV infection within 10 years. "It gives me a
feeling of satisfaction to know that I can make a difference in the lives of other young
people like myself. I only wish I had this opportunity earlier. Then my friends and so
many other young people would have been alive today".
What Can You Do? Begin by learning more about the problems confronting the
caribbean region. Many low lying astal nations such as guyana, are coping with the
negative impact of coastal development, tourism, such as depletion of their natural
resources, pollution, poverty and the serious increase in cases of HIV/AIDS.
As for HIV/AIDS, the Caribbean now ranks second only to sub-Saharan Africa among
the regions hardest hit, with a 2.3 per cent adult HIV prevalence rate. According to the
Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS), Haiti has a rate of 5 to 6 per cent
with 30,000 people dying every year. The country has 200,000 orphaned children. In the
Dominican Republic HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death among women of
reproductive age. HIV/AIDS is particularly devastating for countries with limited skilled
workforces, taking a severe toll on their economies. As the breadwinners get sick, income
levels drop and the social fabric is undermined.
You can get involved through organizations that are making a difference. Go to the links
next to this story to visit their sites.
The United Nations is working to help Small Island Developing nations deal with the big
challenges such as depletion of their natural resources, pollution, poverty and the serious
increase in cases of HIV/AIDS. From 10 to 14 January, Mauritius will host a major UN
conference that will bring together experts, government leaders and grass roots
organizations to come up with solutions. World leaders hope that the conference in
Mauritius will result in stronger commitment from the international community and in
pragmatic, doable actions for their region.