Guyana

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 * [[image:happy_birthday_guyana.jpg width="224" height="148" align="right"]] " The Land of Many Waters" - called this because of many water ways
 * Discovered in 1498, by the Europeans
 * History stretches further than 500 years
 * Spanish, French, British and Dutch argued for centuries for this land
 * Gained independence on the 26th of May 1966
 * First inhabitants were nomads
 * Guyana's were divided into two groups - the Arawak (along the coast), and the Carib (in the interior)

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 * Columbus sighted the Guyanese coast in 1498
 * Though the Dutch were the first to settle
 * In 1616, the Dutch established the first European establishment in the area of Guyana
 * Other settlements followed
 * Although Guyana was claimed by the Spanish, the Dutch gained control over the region in early 17th century
 * Dutch Sovereignty was recognized officially with the signing of the Treaty of Munster in 1648
 * The agriculture industry became increasingly important
 * Indginous population was not well adapted for farming
 * As the agricultural productivity of the Dutch colonies increased, a labor shortage became evident.
 * People were stricken with European Diseased
 * Dutch West India Company - chartered company of Dutch merchants - had complete control over a trading post - soon became the importation of African slaves - which was a key element in the colonial economy
 * By the 1600s, African Slaves reached about 2500
 * African Slaves were essential to Guyana's economy - though their working conditions were brutal - the bad conditions led to several dozen slave rebellions
 * One of the most famous slave uprisings was the Berbice Slave Uprising - began in 1763 - the European population fled after plantations fell to the slaves -led by Cuffy - known as the national hero of Guyana
 * One of the most significant Dutch legacies in Guyana is the land management - limited to a belt of land -used the polder system as a way of clearing off the flooded areas
 * Polder system - used where a flooded area of land is cleared off by damming - and then draining the water covered area


 * Severe flooding following torrential rainfall wreaked havoc in Guyana beginning in January 2005.
 * The downpour, which lasted about six weeks, inundated the coastal belt, caused the deaths of 34 people, and destroyed large parts of the rice and sugarcane crops.
 * It is estimated in March of that year that the country would need $415 million for recovery and rehabilitation.
 * About 275,000 people — 37% of the population — were affected in some way by the floods.


 * Framework of a semi presidential representative democratic republic
 * President of Guyana is head of government
 * Multi party system
 * Executive power is used by the government
 * The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature

Guyana faces many development challenges:
 * an especially vulnerable economy
 * rising crime
 * poor security
 * continued out-migration
 * an HIV/AIDS prevalence of 2.5 percent
 * human trafficking
 * and a political climate that threatens the country’s ability to consolidate democratic governance.

• Has characteristic of Northern South America and Caribbean South America • Bordering the North Atlantic Ocean • Between Suriname and Venezuela • Land has three main geological zones - the coastal plains, the white sand belt, and interior highlands **Capital city**: Georgetown (pop 350,000)

• Land use
 * Arable land: 2%
 * Permanent crops: 0%
 * Permanent pastures: 6%
 * Forests and woodland: 84%
 * Other: 8%

• Near the equator, has a tropical climate • Temperatures de not vary much





• Guyana’s most important mineral resources are the extensive bauxite deposits. • There are also significant deposits of manganese. • gold • diamonds • hardwood timber • shrimp • fish



Cultural Events
 * Mashramani
 * Phagwah
 * Deepavali (Diwali)
 * Folk Festival
 * Rodeo
 * Costa Rica babay

•Christianity and Hinduism are the dominant religions in Guyana. •Approximately 57 percent of the population is Christian. •Approximately 28 percent is Hindu. •7 percent is Muslim,and 2 percent practice other beliefs •Through much of Guyana's history, the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches helped maintain the social and political status quo. •The Constitution of Guyana provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice.

•English is the official language of Guyana and used in its schools. •In addition, Cariban languages are spoken by a small minority. •While Guyanese Creole is widely spoken.

The cost of living in Guyana is high. This is because most of the items used in daily life are imported with high transportation costs involved. Monopoly in business sectors are also causing prices to rise. 5 US$ per gallon of gasoline in January 2010 Developing nation, low GDP.

Much historic architecture reflects the country's British colonial past. Many of these buildings in Georgetown and New Amsterdam were built entirely of local woods.
 * Architecture**

Below are photos right to left of: city neighborhood in Georgetown (capital) Law Courts, Georgetown - cottages Colonial Era Building


 * Greater Georgetown** - contains some of the most expensive and luxurious metropolitan neighbourhoods






 * Modest population of approximately 770,000.
 * Guyana is a diverse nation.
 * 43.5% of the population is of East Indian Origin.[[image:population.jpg width="211" height="323" align="right"]]
 * 30.2% Black African
 * 16.7% Multiracial
 * 9.2% Amerindian
 * and 0.46% other, mostly Chinese and whites
 * ** Dispora **
 * Overseas Guyanese communities mainly exist in the United States ((86,120 Guyanese born),
 * United Kingdom (20,872 Guyanese born),
 * Canada (14,560 Guyanese born),
 * The reason for this mass exodus were the highly strict policies of Forbes Burnham, former president and dictator who was regarded as a rigger of elections.

From left to right are photos of: Leona Lewis, is a British pop and R&B singer - songwriter ( of Guyanese decent) Bharrat Jagdeo, current Guyana President - also of Guyanese decent Natives at a parade




 * With a per capita GDP of only $4,700 in 2006, Guyana is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere.
 * Poor slum areas and mansions are only a few miles apart from each other - almost no middle class
 * In 1989, the economy made dramatic progress after President Hoyte's economic recovery program (ERP).
 * Agriculture and mining are Guyana's most important economic activities, with sugar, bauxite, rice, and gold accounting for 70–75 percent of export earnings.
 * The foreign exchange market was fully liberalised in 1991, and currency is now freely traded without restriction.
 * The foreign exchange market was fully liberalised in 1991, and currency is now freely traded without restriction.




 * Labour Force : 333,900 (2007 est.)
 * Unemployment : 11%
 * Labour Force by occupation : agriculture, hunting and forestry 30.2%, commerce 16%, manufacturing 11% (2007 est.)
 * Main industries: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining


 * Today Guyana is a Charter Member of The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the lifestyle of the inhabitants is completely Caribbean in nature and distinctly separate from the cultures of South America.
 * Some people in Guyana wear Indian clothing like their ancestors did.
 * Some wear western clothing, which is more modern. Whatever clothes they wear they always where, bright colors, and l designs




 * Guyanese cuisine is enriched by traditional foods from every ethnic group in the country. These dishes have been adapted to Guyanese tastes, often by the addition of spices.
 * Favourite dishes include pepper pot, a stew made with bitter cassava juice, meat, hot pepper and seasoning; roti and curry; garlic pork; cassava bread; chow mein and "cook up", a one-pot meal which can include any favourite meats.
 * Popular homemade drinks are mauby, made from the bark of a tree; sorrel drink, made from a leafy vegetable used in salads; and ginger beer, made from ginger root, and ice tea.