South AmericaGuyana
Discover Guyana - the only English-speaking country in South America, home to Kaieteur Falls, vast rainforests, and Caribbean culture.
Where Is Guyana?
Guyana is a country in South America. Its capital is Georgetown.
- Capital Georgetown
- Population 836K
- Area 214,969 km²
Guyana is South America's best-kept secret and its most unusual country. It's the only English-speaking nation on the continent, culturally more Caribbean than Latin American, and over 80% covered in pristine rainforest that most people will never see. The country sits on the northeast shoulder of South America, bordered by Venezuela, Brazil, and Suriname, yet its cultural heart beats to the rhythms of the Caribbean — cricket, rum, Carnival, and a population descended from African slaves and Indian indentured laborers brought by the British.
The crown jewel is Kaieteur Falls, one of the most powerful waterfalls on Earth — five times the height of Niagara and virtually unvisited. The interior is a vast expanse of untouched rainforest, savannahs, and rivers accessible only by small aircraft or days of river travel. Georgetown, the capital, is a faded wooden colonial city on the Atlantic coast with one of the largest wooden cathedrals in the world. In 2015, ExxonMobil discovered massive offshore oil reserves, and Guyana is now one of the fastest-growing economies in the world — a transformation that's reshaping this tiny nation of under 800,000 people.
At a glance
Largest cities in Guyana
Georgetown
Linden
New Amsterdam
Famous people from Guyana
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
SportOne of the greatest West Indian cricketers, played 164 Test matches for the West Indies
Eddy Grant
MusicSinger-songwriter who recorded Electric Avenue, one of the biggest hits of the 1980s
C.C.H. Pounder
FilmAward-winning actress known for The Shield and Avatar, born in Georgetown
Walter Rodney
PoliticsHistorian and political activist whose work on African and Caribbean history influenced generations
Traditional cuisine of Guyana
- Pepperpot
- Guyana's national dish - a slow-cooked Amerindian stew of meat with cassareep (cassava syrup), cinnamon, and peppers
- Roti and Curry
- Indian-influenced flatbread with curried chicken, goat, or vegetables - a staple of Guyanese cuisine
- Cook-up Rice
- One-pot rice dish with coconut milk, black-eyed peas, and whatever meat is available - comfort food
- Metemgee
- Creole dish of ground provisions boiled in coconut milk with fish or meat
- El Dorado Rum
- Demerara rum from the world's last wooden coffey still, considered among the finest rums in the world
Nature and landmarks in Guyana
- Kaieteur FallsWaterfall
- One of the world's most powerful waterfalls, five times the height of Niagara, in pristine rainforest virtually without tourists
- Iwokrama ForestNational Park
- One million acres of pristine tropical rainforest, a globally significant conservation site with jaguars and giant otters
- Rupununi SavannahLandmark
- Vast grassland in southern Guyana, home to indigenous communities, giant anteaters, and seasonal wetlands
- Shell BeachCoast
- Remote beach on the Atlantic coast that is one of the most important sea turtle nesting sites in the world
- Kanuku MountainsMountain
- Biodiversity hotspot in southern Guyana with over 60% of the country's bird species
Sports in Guyana
- Cricket
- Produced legendary West Indian cricketers including Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Clive Lloyd
- Football
- Growing sport with an emerging national team competing in Caribbean qualifiers
Did you know?
Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America
Over 80% of the country is covered in pristine, largely unexplored rainforest
Kaieteur Falls is about five times the height of Niagara Falls and one of the most powerful waterfalls on Earth
Guyana drives on the left - a remnant of British colonial rule shared in South America only with Suriname
The discovery of offshore oil in 2015 made Guyana one of the fastest-growing economies in the world
St. George's Cathedral in Georgetown is one of the tallest wooden structures in the world
The name Guyana comes from an indigenous word meaning Land of Many Waters
Can you find Guyana on a map?
Drop a pin where you think it is and see how close you got. A few rounds and you will place Guyana and its neighbours without a second thought.
