Next month will mark Guyana’s 47th republic Anniversary. Here are some facts on our beloved country, some of which you may not know:
Guyana was originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, but by 1815 it had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to settlement of urban areas by former slaves and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. The resulting ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi Jagan was elected president in what is considered the country’s first free and fair election since independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet Jagan, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat Jagdeo, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006. Early elections held in May 2015 resulted in the replacement of President Donald Ramotar by David Granger.
Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 5 00 N, 59 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 214,969 sq km
Land: 196,849 sq km
Water: 18,120 sq km
Country comparison to the world: 85
Area – comparative: slightly smaller than the state of Idaho in the US
Land boundaries: total: 2,933 km
Border countries (3): Brazil 1,308 km, Suriname 836 km, Venezuela 789 km
Coastline: 459 km
