Teach English Abroad > Guyana Year > Country Info

Country Info

Guyana_map

 

Guyana is a small tropical county located in the northeastern corner of South America. Unlike many of its neighboring countries, however, Guyana exhibits more cultural similarities to the Caribbean rather than Latin American region. The national language in Guyana is English, allowing WorldTeach volunteers to teach math and Diwali volunteerscience at the secondary level without the difficulty of a language barrier. 

Guyana's name, first given to the region by Christopher Columbus in 1498, derives from the Amerindian word for "land of many waters" and refers to the numerous rivers that flow through the expansive Amazonian jungle.  As these rivers wind through the countryside, they culminate in spectacular waterfalls, the most magnificent of which is Kaieteur Falls, a natural wonder that boasts a vertical drop seven times that of Niagara Falls.

Guyana has three main geographical regions.  Ninety percent of the population lives on Guyana's rich coastal plain, with the remaining population spread out over the country's thick tropical rain forest in the interior and open savanna lands in the south.  The weather is hot and humid, but the heat is tempered in the coastal regions by cool trade winds.  There are two rainy seasons.

Kaietur fallsGuyana is ethnically diverse, but largely because it is an English-speaking nation, it is more connected in  political and economic institutions, local music, and food to nearby English-speaking Caribbean nations than to bordering Suriname, Venezuela, or Brazil.  Guyana is known as the land of six peoples.  It claims descendants from Africa, Europe, China, the East Indies, and Portugal as well as an indigenous Amerindian population.  This ethnic mix reflects the country's unique history and can be witnessed in its rich culture, diverse food offerings and Creole language.

Guyana was first settled by the Dutch in the late 16th century.  At the 1815 Congress of Vienna, all of Britain's holdings in the region were consolidated and the nation became known as British Guiana.  The British colonial authorities imported slaves from West Africa in large numbers to work the sugarcane and cotton plantations. When the African slave trade was abolished in 1834, the British sought out new sources of agricultural labor from India, China, Portugal, Germany, and Malta.  In 1966, Guyana was granted independence, and a government was formed with proportional representation given to all of the country's ethnic groups.  Today, the ethnic breakdown of Guyana's population of 750,000 is 50% East Indian, 36% Afro-Guyanese, 7% Amerindian, and 7% white, Chinese, and multi-racial.

"When I talk with friends and family back home, people are usually astonished by my living circumstances; however, I find myself feeling proud. Not only can I live in conditions some people back home think they couldn’t, I’ve learned to like it! I appreciate how these things have made my life simpler."

- Jessica Kim, Guyana volunteer 2010

Like many impoverished nations, Guyana abounds with precious natural resources.  Guyana is rich in gold, diamonds, bauxite, and timber.  Nevertheless, it has struggled economically and remains one of the poorest countries in South America.  The gross domestic product per person in Guyana is only $4,000.

While the capital city, Georgetown, and other nearby coastal towns have been largely westernized with a high availability of technology and imported goods, the interior region, which remains highly forested, offers smaller, more remote villages that have retained their traditional culture. WorldTeach placements in Guyana are scattered throughout the country and run the gamut from being more remote and low-resourced to being more urban with "modern" accommodations.

Unique Challenges for Guyana Volunteers

While Guyana's population is under a million people, the traditions and lifestyle vary by the influences of their location in Guyana. The majority of the 750 thousand people live on the coastal regions but WorldTeach placements can also be in Amerindian villages near the border of Venezuela, Brazil and Suriname. These sites are often very remote- without the modern day luxuries of internet, cell phones, running water or electricity. Volunteers have found that this makes for a truly unique experience that allows them to become a part of the community in which they are placed.  

While located in South America, you will find that Guyana relates more to Caribbean/ West Indian cultures and traditions. The Guyanese "just now" attitude creates a laid back atmosphere that take some adjusting to from the fast pace life of the developed world. In addition, Guyana's location near the equator makes for the weather to be hot and humid all year around. The lush rain forest is apparent even in the capital, Georgetown, where it is common to see macaws, parrots and anacondas during the day. 

Stabroek market

 
Web Resources for Guyana

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