Political overview

Guyana is a unitary republic with its capital at Georgetown, the country’s main port and commercial centre. Administratively it’s divided into ten regions (for example, Demerara-Mahaica Region 4 on the coast and Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Region 9 in the south), rather than states, and national politics have in recent years been shaped by debates over natural-resource management, governance and development planning.

Cultural heritage and identity

Guyana’s people reflect a rich mix of ancestries Indo-Guyanese, Afro-Guyanese, Indigenous Amerindian groups and smaller European/Chinese communities and English is the country’s official language (making Guyana the only English-speaking country in mainland South America). That multicultural blend is visible in festivals, food (Indian curries, African-derived dishes and Amerindian staples), religious life (Christianity, Hinduism, Islam) and in strong community traditions across coastal towns and interior villages.

Geographical landscape, area and climate

Guyana covers about 215,000 km² of mostly forested, low-lying coastal plains, vast interior rainforests and savannahs, its climate is tropical with wet and dry seasons. Top natural draws for visitors include the dramatic Kaieteur Falls in the central plateau and the Iwokrama rainforest and Rupununi savannahs in the interior areas prized for biodiversity, ecotourism and Indigenous culture. In the last decade Guyana has also become widely known internationally for large offshore oil discoveries (the Stabroek Block), a development that is reshaping its economy and global profile.