80-726: The Kanuku Mountains are a group of mountains in Guyana , located in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region. The name means 'forest' in the Wapishana language, a reference to the rich diversity of wildlife found there. The Eastern Kanuku Mountains and the Western Kanuku Mountains are separated by the Rupununi River . In 2011, the mountains were designated National Protected Area . The lowland forests sustain 53% of all
160-636: A National Protected Area System. More than 80% of Guyana is still covered by forests, which also contain the world's rarest orchids , 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 undisturbed ecosystems support extensive areas of species-rich rain forests and natural habitats with high levels of endemism . There are about 8000 species of plants in Guyana, half of which are found nowhere else. The country
240-434: A key component for receiving international aid through REDD programmes. The earliest residents of Guyana employed a variety of agricultural practices for subsistence living but also had extensive networks of trade, dealing in items such as blow pipes, curare , cassava graters, and other essentials. These trade networks were important even at the time of the earliest European contact, and Dutch traders were inclined to gift
320-471: A large impact on Guyana's GDP since drilling began in 2019. GDP grew sharply (43%) through the COVID-19 pandemic year of 2020, and is anticipated to continue at a high level in 2021 (estimated at 20%). The non-oil sectors contracted as public health measures were in place to control the virus spread; the growth of GDP rests on the oil sector for these two years. Preservation of Guyana's pristine forests has been
400-574: A main dish along with dhal and rice. Khichri is also a popular quick dish that was seen as a staple in the days of indentureship. In Guyana, among the Indo-Guyanese people, it is popular to eat curried or fried vegetables such as okra , eddoe , breadnut , lablab beans , pumpkin , bitter melon , drumstick , long beans , calabash , potato , ridged gourd , sponged gourd , cassava , cabbage , cauliflower , green banana , green papaya , chickpeas , and eggplant . Roti or dhal bhat (dhal and rice)
480-547: A more realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support of international organisations. Guyana held huge amounts of debt which have been written off through various international agencies. In 2003 Guyana qualified for US$ 329 million of debt relief, in addition to the US$ 256 million from the original World Bank plan for assisting heavily indebted poor countries in 1999. The Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative in 2006/7 wrote off about US$ 611 million of Guyana's debt by
560-506: A plantation for five years, while earning a small, fixed daily wage. After five additional years working in Guiana (for a total of 10 years), survivors would be entitled either to receive passage back to India or to stay in Guiana and receive land and money to start their own businesses. In 1838, some 396 Indian immigrants arrived in British Guiana from Calcutta . Over the ensuing 80 years,
640-847: A reported total of more than 230,000 indentured labourers arrived from India. For the first 25 years, indentured recruits were drawn largely from small towns in and around Calcutta, but people were recruited from as far as Sri Lanka. As with indentured servitude in North America , the backbone of all recruiting operations were professional recruiters, assisted by paid local agents called "Arkatis" in North India and "Maistris" in South India. Intimidation, coercion, and deception were common, as were illegal practices, such as kidnapping and forced detention. An example of deception related to labourers who signed to immigrate to Surinam ; recruiters would pronounce
720-589: 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. Guyana has one of the largest unspoiled rainforests in South America, some parts of which are almost inaccessible by humans. The rich natural history of Guyana was described by early explorers Sir Walter Raleigh and Charles Waterton and later by naturalists Sir David Attenborough and Gerald Durrell . In 2008,
800-539: Is a filled crepe that is eaten by Indo-Guyanese and is of South Indian origin as well. The main dishes at Hindu wedding, festivals, and prayer services are known as seven curry and consist of seven vegetarian curries: aloo and channa curry, eddoes (aruwi) curry, mango curry, baigan/boulanger (balanjay) curry, katahar curry, pumpkin or kohra (fried or curried), and bhaji (made with young malabar spinach , moringa , spinach or spiny amaranth leaves) served with dhal bhat (dhal and rice) or karhi and rice. Seven curry
880-510: Is also one of the least densely populated countries on Earth . The official language of the country is English , although a large part of the population is bilingual in English and the indigenous languages. It has a wide variety of natural habitats and very high biodiversity . The country also hosts a part of the Amazon rainforest , the largest tropical rainforest in the world. The region known as "
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#1732845533413960-704: Is also found in countries such as the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Indian immigration to the British West Indies was triggered by Great Britain's decision in the 1830s to outlaw the enslavement of labour brought from Africa . Newly emancipated Africans were suddenly able to choose where to live and what to do, which led sugar plantation owners to look elsewhere for workers. After they recruited from other countries, colonial recruitment turned to British India. The indentured labour system became
1040-599: Is also served with paratha or dhalpuri roti. Individual curries of seven curry are also consumed on a daily basis by Indo-Guyanese as a main dish. Meat and seafood based main dishes include chicken , duck, goat , lamb, fish (especially hassa , gilbaka , banga mary , butterfish , houri , haimara , cuffum , cuirass , lukanani , patwa , pakoo , red snapper , as well as tinned salmon, tuna, and sardine), shrimp, crab, lobster, pork (except Muslims and some Hindus) and beef (except Hindus) curry or bunjal (a type of dried curry). Fried chicken, fish, and shrimp are also eaten as
1120-500: Is also the country's largest city. Guyana is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Brazil to the south and southwest, Venezuela to the west, and Suriname to the east. With a land area of 214,969 km (83,000 sq mi), Guyana is the third-smallest sovereign state by area in mainland South America after Uruguay and Suriname, and is the second-least populous sovereign state in South America after Suriname; it
1200-1525: Is always served along with any curry or fried dish. Chokhas are also a popular breakfast and lunch dish among the Indo-Guyanese and prepared by roasting vegetables that are skinned after roasting, and then garlic, onions, and peppers are chaunkay-ed or tempered in oil and added to the mashed roasted vegetable and salt is added after. Popular chokhas include baigan/boulanger (balanjay)/eggplant, tomatoes, and coconut. Chokhas are usually served with sada roti. Fish and shrimp are also used to make chokha. Desserts include gulab jamun , mohanbhog (parsad) , gurma (gurumba), ladoo , mithai , panjeeri , jalebi , gulgula , doodhpitty, barfi , pera , halwa , gujiya (goja) , roat, sirnie, lapsi , vermicelli (sawine), and kheer (meetha bhat/sweet rice) . Indo-Guyanese have also adopted other dishes from other cultural groups such as stews, pepperpot , ground provisions , bake and saltfish , sardines and bread, fried chicken , metemgee, chicken soup, cook-up rice, chow mein , lo mein , fried rice , pepper shrimp, and chicken in de' ruff. Guyanese breads, pastries, cakes, and frozen treats are also popular among Indo-Guyanese, such as patties, pine tart, butterflap, tennis roll, fried bake, cassava bread, plait bread, cheese roll, black bean (chiney) cake, cassava or pumpkin pone, salara, coconut buns, black cake (rum cake), lime cookies, custard , fudge , snow cone , ice cream , and custard block (ice block). Bollywood movies and songs have had an impact upon
1280-581: Is common regardless of religious beliefs. In Guyana, Indian Arrival Day is celebrated on May 5 commemorating the first arrival of indentured servants from India to the country, on 5 May 1838. On this day, the workers arrived to work in sugar plantations . Indo-Guyanese also celebrate Guyanese national holidays such as Independence Day and Republic Day. There is no "preferential marriages between kin" among Indo-Guyanese, nor much significance tied to marriage outside of ones religion or caste compared to other Indian diasporic groups. The duty of parents to provide
1360-482: Is home to six ecoregions: Guayanan Highlands moist forests , Guianan moist forests , Orinoco Delta swamp forests , Tepuis , Guianan savanna , and Guianan mangroves . The Guiana Shield region is little known and extremely rich biologically. Unlike other areas of South America, over 70% of the natural habitat remains pristine. Guyana ranks third in the world with a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 9.58/10. The rich natural history of British Guiana
1440-515: Is no actual meat in it), gantia , plantain chips, roasted nuts, and fried channa. Appetizers and street foods include boil and fried or curried channa as well as bara , wrap roti , pholourie , and aloo (potato) or cassava/egg ball which are served with a chutney or sour. The rotis that Indo-Guyanese typically eat are paratha , dhalpuri, sada roti, dosti roti, aloo roti, and puri . Murgatani (Mulligatawny) and rasam are popular soups in Guyana of South Indian origin. Dosa (dosay or chota)
1520-638: Is now Guyana has been inhabited for millennia. Nine indigenous tribes reside in Guyana: the Wai Wai , Macushi , Patamona , Lokono , Kalina , Wapishana , Pemon , Akawaio , and Warao . Many of these peoples practised shifting agriculture alongside hunting . Historians speculate that the Arawaks and Caribs originated in the South American hinterland and migrated northward, first to the present-day Guianas and then to
1600-480: Is the only mainland South American nation in which English is the official language. However, the majority of the population speak Guyanese Creole , an English-based creole language , as a first language. Guyana is part of the Commonwealth Caribbean . It is part of the mainland Caribbean region maintaining strong cultural, historical, and political ties with other Caribbean countries as well as serving as
1680-553: The Akawaio , Arawak ( Lokono ), Arekuna ( Pemon ), Carib ( Karinya ), Makushi , Patamona , Wai Wai , Wapichan , and Warao . They are the third-largest demographic group in the country and are the majority population in the southern interior. The Afro-Guyanese population mainly descend from West African ethnicities such as the Ashanti from Ghana , the Yoruba from Southwest Nigeria ,
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#17328455334131760-564: The BBC broadcast a three-part programme called Lost Land of the Jaguar which highlighted the huge diversity of wildlife, including undiscovered species and rare species such as the giant otter and harpy eagle . Guyana has one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. It is home to more than 225 species of mammals , 900 species of birds , 880 species of reptiles, and more than 6,500 different species of plants. Among these wildlife categories
1840-661: The Courentyne River at 724 km (450 mi), the Berbice at 595 km (370 mi), and the Demerara at 346 km (215 mi). The Courentyne river forms the border with Suriname. At the mouth of the Essequibo are several large islands, including the 145 km (90 mi) wide Shell Beach along the northwest coast, which is also a major breeding area for sea turtles (mainly leatherbacks ) and other wildlife. The climate
1920-601: The Igbo from South-Eastern Nigeria , and the Mandingo from Senegal . Most Indo-Guyanese are descended from indentured labourers who migrated from North India , especially the Bhojpur and Awadh regions of the Hindi Belt in the present-day states of Uttar Pradesh , Bihar , and Jharkhand . A significant minority of Indo-Guyanese are also descended from indentured migrants who came from
2000-644: The International Monetary Fund , the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank . In 2006, Japan finalised its bilateral debt cancellation agreement, in 2007, US$ 15 million was written off by China and in 2008, Venezuela cancelled US$ 12.5 million. In 2008, the economy witnessed a 3% increase in growth amid the global economic crisis ; it grew 5.4% in 2011 and 3.7% in 2012. IMF projected economic growth to be 53% in 2020 following
2080-457: The Macushi people). When the country gained independence from British rule, a policy of nationalisation was enacted by Forbes Burnham to address the inequities that were established by plantation-based colonial rule. All large-scale industries such as foreign-owned bauxite mining ( Reynolds Metals and Rio Tinto's Alcan) and sugar ( GuySuCo ) operations were taken over by the government. However,
2160-600: The Orinoco and Courantyne rivers. Dutch sovereignty over these settlements was recognised in 1648 by Spain with the Peace of Münster , which stated under Article 5 that the Dutch would retain all of the lordships, cities, castles, fortresses, trades and lands in the... West Indies under their possession at the time. However, the treaty did not specify the boundary between Spanish Guiana and Dutch Guiana . Guyana achieved independence from
2240-522: The People's National Congress Reform rose to power, quickly becoming a repressive authoritarian leader. Politics became divided on race with the Afro-Guyanese supporting Burnham's People's National Congress and the Indo-Guyanese supporting Jagan 's People's Progressive Party , in what became known as aapan jaat politics, loosely translated from Guyanese Hindustani as "vote for your own kind". Guyana
2320-543: The headquarters for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). In 2008, the country joined the Union of South American Nations as a founding member. In 2017, 41% of the population of Guyana lived below the poverty line . Guyana's economy has been undergoing a transformation since the discovery of crude oil in 2015 and commercial drilling in 2019, with its economy growing by 49% in 2020, making it, by some accounts, currently
2400-599: The Americas after the United States , Canada , and The Bahamas , and has been one of the countries with the most improvement in Human Development Index ranking since 2015. According to the World Bank in 2023, very significant poverty still exists and the country faces significant risks in structurally managing its growth. The name "Guyana" derives from Guiana , an earlier name for a larger region that included
2480-478: The Atlantic coast (low coastal plain) where most of the population lives; a white sand belt further inland (hilly sand and clay region), containing most of Guyana's mineral deposits; the dense rain forests (Forested Highland Region) in the southern part of the country; the drier savannah areas in the south-west; and the smallest interior lowlands (interior savannah) consisting mostly of mountains that gradually rise to
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2560-625: The Brazilian border. Some of Guyana's highest mountains are Mount Ayanganna (2,042 m or 6,699 ft), Monte Caburaí (1,465 m or 4,806 ft) and Mount Roraima (2,772 m or 9,094 ft – the highest mountain in Guyana) on the Brazil-Guyana-Venezuela tripoint border, part of the Pakaraima range. Mount Roraima and Guyana's table-top mountains ( tepuis ) are said to have been
2640-632: The Caribbean islands. The Arawak, mainly cultivators, hunters, and fishermen, migrated to the Caribbean islands before the Carib and settled throughout the region. Although Christopher Columbus was the first European to sight Guyana during his third voyage (in 1498), and Sir Walter Raleigh wrote an account in 1596, the Dutch were the first Europeans to establish colonies: Pomeroon (1581), Essequibo (1616), Berbice (1627), and Demerara (1752). After France invaded
2720-583: The Dutch Republic ( 1795 ), the British assumed control in 1796, with the Dutch and British signing the London Convention in 1814 that ceded Demerara-Essequibo and Berbice to Britain. In 1831, the united colonies of Demerara-Essequibo and separate colony of Berbice together became a single British colony known as British Guiana . Since its independence in 1824, Venezuela has claimed the area of land to
2800-431: The Essequibo watershed support a remarkable diversity of fish and aquatic invertebrates, and are home to giant otters , capybaras , and several species of caimans . On land, large mammals, such as jaguars , tapirs , bush dogs , giant anteaters , and saki monkeys are still common. Over 800 species of birds have been reported from the region, and the reptile and amphibian faunas are similarly rich. In February 2004,
2880-683: The Government of Guyana issued a title to more than 4,000 km (1 × 10 ^ acres) of land in the Konashen Indigenous District as the Kanashen Community-Owned Conservation Area, managed by the Wai Wai , and the world's largest community-owned conservation Area. The Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development was also created for the protection and sustainable use of
2960-636: The Guianas " consists of the large shield landmass north of the Amazon River and east of the Orinoco River known as the "land of many waters". Nine indigenous tribes reside in Guyana: the Wai Wai , Macushi , Patamona , Lokono , Kalina , Wapishana , Pemon , Akawaio and Warao . Historically dominated by the Lokono and Kalina tribes, Guyana was colonised by the Dutch before coming under British control in
3040-473: The Guyanese pop culture since the early 1950s. Many Bollywood stars have visited and performed in Guyana like megastars Shah Rukh Khan , Juhi Chawla , and Preity Zinta , also very popular singers such as Sonu Nigam , Asha Bhosle , Alka Yagnik , Shreya Ghoshal , Udit Narayan , Sunidhi Chauhan , Kumar Sanu , Hari Om Sharan , and Anup Jalota have had very successful shows in Guyana. In 1980, Lata Mangeshkar
3120-820: The Indian immigrants. On 5 May 1988, a bronze sculpture of the Whitby , the ship which carried the first labourers to British Guiana, was presented to the people of Guyana by the Indian government. It is located in the Guyana National Park in Georgetown. On 5 May 2019, the Indian Immigration Monument was unveiled by president David A. Granger . It is located in Palmyra near the Berbice Bridge . The compound near
3200-456: The Iwokrama forest area. Since 2009, Guyana and Norway have collaborated to promote green development in Guyana while keeping deforestation at low levels. The main economic activities in Guyana are agriculture (rice and Demerara sugar ), bauxite and gold mining, timber, seafood, minerals, crude oil and natural gas. The discovery of major crude oil reserves off the Atlantic coast has since made
3280-637: The Madras Presidency (Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh). Source:"From the Ancient Heartland of India to the New World" by Aditya Prashad of Toronto, Canada; published on May 5th, 2001 95% of all the Immigrants left from the port of Calcutta (Kolkata), and 5% from the port of Madras (Chennai). Note, no Immigrants left from the port of Bombay (Mumbai) to Guyana during the period of 1838 to 1917. Based on
Kanuku Mountains - Misplaced Pages Continue
3360-777: The South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh ; these are the plurality ancestry in the East Berbice-Corentyne region. The two largest groups, the Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese, have experienced some racial tension. English is the official language of Guyana and is used for education, government, media, and services. The vast majority of the population speaks Guyanese Creole , an English-based creole with slight African, Indian, and Amerindian influences, as their first language. Indo-Guyanese Indo-Guyanese or Guyanese Indians , are Guyanese nationals of Indian origin who trace their ancestry to India and
3440-452: The Union of South American Nations. The Guyanese government officially ratified the treaty in 2010. In March 2020, President David A. Granger narrowly lost the snap elections , following Granger's government loss of a vote of no confidence back in 2018. Granger refused to accept the results, but eventually five months later, Irfaan Ali of the People's Progressive Party/Civic was sworn in as
3520-714: The United Kingdom as a dominion on 26 May 1966 and became a republic on 23 February 1970, remaining a member of the Commonwealth . Shortly after independence, Venezuela began to take diplomatic, economic, and military action against Guyana to enforce its territorial claim to the Essequibo region . Five months after Guyana's independence, in October 1966, Venezuelan troops crossed the international border and seized Ankoko Island which has been under occupation ever since. Venezuelan troops quickly constructed military installations and an airstrip. Following independence, Forbes Burnham of
3600-650: The areas now called Guyana ( British Guyana ), Suriname ( Dutch Guiana ), French Guiana , the Guayana Region in Venezuela ( Spanish Guyana ), and Amapá in Brazil ( Portuguese Guiana ). According to the Oxford English Dictionary , the name "Guyana" comes from an indigenous Amerindian language and means "land of many waters". The word Co‑operative in the official name refers to co-operative socialism . What
3680-494: The colonies of the territory were merged and the land was given over to the British Empire in 1814. Upon emancipation in 1838, almost all of the former slaves abandoned the plantations, and Indians were brought to the country under indenture contracts from 1838 until the end of the system in 1917. The production of balatá (natural latex ) was once a big business in Guyana. Most of the balatá bleeding in Guyana took place in
3760-651: The completion of the Takutu River Bridge and matching road system linking coastal Guyana with the interior and the Brazilian frontier. The road passes close to the Kanukus and is a potential source of unsustainable resource exploitation. In 2011, the mainly uninhabited area was protected, and designated a National Protected Area. It is being maintained by the Kanuku Mountains Project. The conservation area measures 611,000 hectares (6,110 km). The area around
3840-606: The completion of the first off-shore oil project. Actual growth in GDP in 2020 was 43%; reports in April 2021 anticipate 20% growth for 2021. The government initiated a major overhaul of the tax code in early 2007. A Value Added Tax (VAT) replaced six different taxes. Prior to the implementation of the VAT, it had been relatively easy to evade sales tax, and many businesses were in violation of tax code. Many businesses opposed VAT introduction because of
3920-403: The country as "Sri-Ram," which would be perceived as the names of two Hindu deities with complex but very positive connotations. In addition to having to deal with lack of freedoms, intense heat, and brutal working conditions, these indentured servants were largely met with hostility from the newly freed African population. Their chance to earn a living was undercut by the very low wages paid to
4000-466: The descendants of indentured labourers from India who make up 43.5% of the population, according to the 2002 census. They are followed by the Afro-Guyanese , the descendants of enslaved people brought from Africa, primarily West Africa , who constitute 30.2%. The Guyanese of mixed heritage make up 16.7%. The Indigenous peoples, known locally as Amerindians , make up 10.5% of the population. The nine Indigenous nations in Guyana, defined by language, are
4080-445: The economy under nationalisation was plagued by problems; political instability leading to an exodus of skilled labour, inexperienced management, aging infrastructure. Poor international market conditions also expanded the country's debt. The Guyanese economy rebounded slightly and exhibited moderate economic growth after 1999, due to expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a more favourable atmosphere for business initiatives,
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#17328455334134160-401: The extra paperwork required; however, the Government has remained firm on the VAT. Replacing several taxes with one flat tax rate, it will also be easier for government auditors to spot embezzlement . The large majority (about 90%) of Guyana's 744,000 people live along a narrow coastal strip that ranges from a width of 16 to 64 km (10 to 40 mi) inland and makes up approximately 10% of
4240-406: The family and era. Weddings are qualified by the number of people fed, and a basic meal of roti, rice and a vegetable curry is considered the bare minimum. Among Hindus and Muslims, arranged, comparatively early marriages were common in rural areas until the modern period (early 1960s); however, they are rare now. Middle-class Indians had greater freedom in choosing a spouse, especially if the woman
4320-539: The fast in the month of Ramadan as well as observing Eid ul-Fitr , Eid al-Adha , Hosay ( Ashura ), Shab-e-barat , Mawlid , Chaand Raat and the Islamic New Year . Indo-Guyanese Christians celebrate holidays such as New Year's , Christmas , Easter , Good Friday , Ash Wednesday , Epiphany , All Saints' Day and the Feast of Corpus Christi , among others and depending on their denomination. Through colonial influence, celebrating holidays such as Diwali, Phagwah, Eid ul-Fitr, Hosay, New Year's, Christmas, and Easter,
4400-400: The first Guyanese election since 1964 to be internationally recognised as free and fair. Cheddi Jagan of the PPP was elected and sworn in as president on 9 October 1992. This reversed the monopoly that Afro-Guyanese traditionally had over Guyanese politics. The poll was marred by violence however. In May 2008, President Bharrat Jagdeo was a signatory to the UNASUR Constitutive Treaty of
4480-438: The foothills of the Kanuku Mountains in the Rupununi savannah . Early exploitation also took place in the North West District, but most of the trees in the area were destroyed by illicit bleeding methods that involved cutting down the trees rather than making incisions in them. Uses of balatá included the making of cricket balls , temporary dental fillings, and the crafting of figurines and other decorative items (particularly by
4560-403: The immigrants, there were also labourers from other parts of South Asia . The vast majority of Indians came as contract labourers during the 19th century, spurred on by political upheaval, the ramifications of the Mutiny of 1857 and famine. Others of higher social status arrived as merchants, landowners and farmers pushed out of India by many of the same factors. A large Indo-Guyanese diaspora
4640-430: The inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 's 1912 novel The Lost World . There are also many volcanic escarpments and waterfalls, including Kaieteur Falls which is believed to be the largest single-drop waterfall in the world by volume. North of the Rupununi River lies the Rupununi savannah , south of which lie the Kanuku Mountains . The four longest rivers are the Essequibo at 1,010 km (628 mi) long,
4720-402: The known bird species in Guyana, and about 70% of all mammals found in Guyana, live in the Kanuku Mountains. Prominent species include the Giant otter , the Harpy eagle and the Arapaima . The highest peak of the Kanuku Mountains rises to 1,067 metres while the savannah area varies between 120 and 150 metres. In 2010, concern for the fate of the wildlife of the Kanuku Mountains was raised by
4800-486: The late 18th century. It was governed as British Guiana with a mostly plantation-style economy until the 1950s. It gained independence in 1966 and officially became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. The legacy of British colonialism is reflected in the country's political administration, lingua franca and diverse population, which includes Indian , African , Indigenous , Chinese , Portuguese , other European , and various multiracial groups. Guyana
4880-408: The local peoples in order to maintain successful settlements. After the initial rush to find gold in the New World waned, the Dutch found the climate to be suitable for growing sugar cane, converting large tracts of the Guyanese coast into plantations and supplying with labour from the Atlantic slave trade . The country and economy were run by a small European planter elite which continued on when
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#17328455334134960-631: The monument has a visitor's gallery, several fountains and a playground. Although Indian settlers maintained their traditions, the culture of the community is unique to Guyana. The Indo-Guyanese community originates from various regions and cultures in India, and as a result, over time in Guyana, they have cultivated a distinctive modern Indo-Guyanese culture that cannot be exclusively attributed to any specific sub-group within contemporary India. Between 1838 and 1917, over 500 ship voyages, with 238,909 indentured Indian immigrants, came to Guyana. Some 75,898 of them or their children were recorded as returning to
5040-629: The most notably famous are the Arapaima , which is the world's largest scaled freshwater fish; the giant anteater , the largest anteater; the giant otter , the world's largest and rarest river otter; and the Guianan cock-of-the-rock bird ( Rupicola rupicola ). The following habitats have been categorised for Guyana: coastal, marine, littoral, estuarine, palustrine, mangrove, riverine, lacustrine, swamp, savanna, white sand forest, brown sand forest, montane, cloud forest, moist lowland and dry evergreen scrub forests (NBAP, 1999). About 14 areas of biological interest have been identified as possible hotspots for
5120-413: The mountains is inhabited by the Macushi and Wapishana people in 21 communities who use the resources of mountains for their subsistence living. Guyana in South America (grey) Guyana officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana , is a country on the northern coast of South America , part of the historic mainland British West Indies . Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and
5200-906: The names and information on the Indian Emigrant passes, 85% of the Indian immigrants to Guyana were Hindus and 15% Muslims. This was very representative of the areas of origin of the immigrants. The Indian immigrants made an enduring cultural imprint on Guyana. Once their labor contracts expired, they resumed their original occupations and recreated near-typical traditional Indian village life in their adopted homeland. Indo-Guyanese Hindus continue to observe holidays such as Diwali , Phagwah , Maha Shivratri , Hanuman Jayanti , Ram Naumi , Nauratam , Vijayadashami , Krishen Janamashtami , Radhastami , Kartik Snan , Saraswati Jayanti , Ganesh Chaturthi , Pitru Paksha , Raksha Bandhan , Guru Purnima , Kalbhairo Jayanti , Vivaha Panchami , Makar Sankranti , Tulsi Puja , Gita Jayanti , Datta Jayanti and Ratha Yatra , among others, while Indo-Guyanese Muslims observe
5280-412: The nation's total land area. Guyana's population is racially and ethnically heterogeneous, with ethnic groups originating from India, Africa, Europe, and China, as well as Indigenous peoples . Despite their diverse ethnic backgrounds, most groups share a common language of English and its Guyanese English Creole vernacular. The largest ethnic group is the Indo-Guyanese (also known as East Indians ),
5360-451: The new president because of allegations of fraud and irregularities. The National Trust of Guyana has designated nine historic sites as national monuments. A referendum in neighbouring Venezuela was held in December 2023 on the annexation of the disputed Essequibo region , which lies entirely in the territory of Guyana. The vote passed with a 95% majority, but with a low turnout, with analysts stating Maduro's government had falsified
5440-417: The replacement system for slavery in British Guiana. Persisting for 75 years, this system of indentured servitude presented its own forms of injustices, creating conflict with Indian nationalists. They pushed for its end in 1917. One major distinction between slavery and the indentured immigrant experience was that the indentured labourers from India had agreed to immigration, signing contracts that bound them to
5520-413: The results. This came at the same time as a Venezuelan military buildup on the Guyanese border, sparking concerns of war between the two states. The territory controlled by Guyana lies between latitudes 1° and 9°N , and longitudes 56° and 62°W ; it is one of the world's most sparsely populated countries. The country can be divided into five natural regions: a narrow and fertile marshy plain along
5600-567: The subcontinent. The most popular dialect of Hindi spoken was Bhojpuri (spoken in east Uttar Pradesh and west Bihar), followed by Awadhi (spoken in central Uttar Pradesh). 62% of the immigrants came from districts that are now part of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh; 20% from Bihar; 6% were from pre-partitioned Bengal; 1% from Haryana and Punjab; 2% from Chota Nagpur and surrounding areas (primarily Jharkhand and Odisha); 1% from Central India (primarily Madhya Pradesh); 1% from Native states (primarily Rajasthan); 2% from other parts of India; 5% from
5680-793: The use of the tabla , harmonium , dholak , dhantal , manjira , sitar , khartal , and tassa drums. Indo-Guyanese literature includes novels, poetry, plays and other forms written by people born or strongly affiliated with Guyana , who are descendants of indentured Indian servants . As a former British colony, English language and style had an enduring impact on the writings from Guyana, which are done in English language and utilizing Guyanese Creole . Notable writers include Joseph Ruhomon and Shana Yardan . After India gained its independence in 1947, many labourers of Indian origin in British Guiana and other Caribbean colonies like Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica wanted to return to India. In particular, some returned for religious reasons, including
5760-471: The very low human population density of the area, most of these forests are still intact. The Smithsonian Institution has identified nearly 2,700 species of plants from this region, representing 239 distinct families, and there are certainly additional species still to be recorded. The diversity of plants supports diverse animal life, recently documented by a biological survey organised by Conservation International . The reportedly clean, unpolluted waters of
5840-494: The wedding for their children demonstrated "respectability and prestige" and while children generally had some say in who they married, they looked to their parents to "arrange for the rituals and meet the necessary expenses." The wedding of the first child is generally the largest and most opulent, becoming reduced and more economized for subsequent children. Parents may exaggerate the expenses put into these weddings, which are mainly on "clothes, food and drink", and dowry depending on
5920-729: The west of the Essequibo River . Simón Bolívar wrote to the British government warning against the Berbice and Demerara settlers settling on land which the Venezuelans, as assumed heirs of Spanish claims on the area dating to the 16th century, claimed was theirs. In 1899, an international tribunal ruled that the land belonged to Great Britain. From the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814 , the British inherited Dutch territory which included lands between
6000-551: The wider subcontinent . They are the descendants of indentured servants and settlers who migrated from India beginning in 1838, and continuing during the British Raj . They are a subgroup of Indo-Caribbean people. The vast majority of indentured labourers in Guyana came from North India , most notably the Bhojpur and Awadh regions in the Hindi Belt of the present-day states of Uttar Pradesh , Bihar and Jharkhand . A significant minority also came from Southern India . Among
6080-418: The world's fastest-growing economy. As it is said to have 11 billion barrels in oil reserves, the country is set to become one of the largest per capita oil producers in the world by 2025. The discovery of over 11 billion barrels of oil reserves off the coast of Guyana since 2017 is the largest addition to global oil reserves since the 1970s. Guyana is now ranked as having the fourth-highest GDP per capita in
6160-647: Was a professional. As in most parts of the western world marriage now occurs later, and the family unit is smaller than in the past. Indo Guyanese families are patriarchal with an extended system, where family members assist each other, like many other groups in Guyana. With the blending of cultures in the Caribbean, Indo-Caribbean dishes became one of the dominant notes throughout most of the English Caribbean, with dishes such as curry , roti and dhal bhat (dhal and rice) . Indo-Guyanese snacks include sal sev (also called chicken foot due to appearance, although there
6240-421: Was described by early explorers Sir Walter Raleigh and Charles Waterton and later by naturalists Sir David Attenborough and Gerald Durrell . Southern Guyana is host to some of the most pristine expanses of evergreen forests in the northern part of South America. Most of the forests found are tall, evergreen hill-land and lower montane forests, with large expanses of flooded forest along major rivers. Thanks to
6320-553: Was elected three times as a member of the UN Security Council in 1975–76, 1982–83 and 2024–25. In 1978, a total of 918 people died at the Jonestown mass murder-suicide led by American cult leader Jim Jones at a remote settlement in northwest Guyana. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter visited Guyana to lobby for the resumption of free elections. On 5 October 1992, a new National Assembly and regional councils were elected in
6400-791: Was greeted with crowds of fans and was presented with the key of the city of Georgetown, Guyana on her visit. Indian soap operas and dance and music shows have recently grown in popularity in Guyana due to channels such as Zee TV , StarPlus , Sony Entertainment Television , and Colors TV . The most popular genres of music among Indo-Guyanese people include chutney , chutney soca , baithak gana , bhajan , Bollywood , Indian classical music , Indian folk music , soca , calypso , reggae , and dancehall . Popular local Indo-Caribbean singers include Sundar Popo , Terry Gajraj , Ramdew Chaitoe , Dropati , Ravi Bissambhar , Rakesh Yankaran , Rikki Jai , Drupatee Ramgoonai , and Babla & Kanchan . Indian instrumental influence can be seen in Guyana through
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