Discover Guyana

Guyana is the only English-speaking country on the South American mainland, a Co-operative Republic of some 215,000 square kilometres and 878,674 people at the 2022 census, the third-smallest state on the continent by area and one of the least densely peopled on earth, with more than 90 per cent of its people on a coastal plain that is five per cent of its land and below sea level behind a seawall. Inland lie a white-sand belt and the Guiana Shield highlands: the second-highest forest cover in the world, the Rupununi savanna, the Kanuku Mountains, Mount Roraima at 2,762 metres on the Venezuelan tripoint, and Kaieteur Falls, 226 metres in a single drop on the Potaro, among the most powerful waterfalls on earth. The climate is hot and humid with two rainy seasons, May to mid-August and mid-November to mid-January, and rainfall from 1,500 millimetres in the Rupununi to 3,500 on the windward mountains.

The Dutch planted Essequibo in 1616, Berbice in 1627 and Demerara in 1752; Britain took over in 1796 and united the colonies as British Guiana in 1831; the enslaved rose in 1763 and 1823, were freed by 1838, and were replaced by indentured labourers, mainly from India, whose descendants are the largest community at about 40 per cent, beside Afro-Guyanese, nine Amerindian nations and Chinese and Portuguese minorities. Independence came on 26 May 1966 and the republic on 23 February 1970; Forbes Burnham ruled until 1985, Jonestown's 918 dead made the country infamous in 1978, the first free election since 1964 came in 1992, and oil found offshore in 2015 and pumped since December 2019 made the economy the world's fastest-growing in 2020. Venezuela claims everything west of the Essequibo, two-thirds of the country, and held a referendum on it in December 2023.

For the visitor Guyana is Kaieteur by light aircraft, the Iwokrama forest and its canopy walkway eight hours down the Lethem road, the Rupununi ranches with their giant otters, Shell Beach's leatherbacks, and Georgetown's timber cathedral, Stabroek Market and seawall. Both advisories warn of significant crime in the capital and Canada advises a high degree of caution; traffic drives on the left; the currency is the Guyanese dollar with US dollars widely taken; and 911, 912 and 913 are the emergency numbers.

Do I need a visa?

Most visitors do not; the UK advisory says 30 days are normally granted with monthly extensions available, the Canadian says up to 90 days, so read your entry stamp. Passport valid six months.

Which airport?

Cheddi Jagan International at Timehri, 41 kilometres south of Georgetown, for international flights; Eugene F. Correia in the city for regional and interior flights.

How do I reach Kaieteur?

By light aircraft to the falls' own airstrip, usually as a day trip from Georgetown, or overland with an operator; it is about 633 kilometres south of the capital.

What currency?

The Guyanese dollar; US dollars are widely accepted, cards only in major hotels and a few ATMs, so carry cash and change it at banks.

Which side of the road?

The left, one of three places in South America that do; your licence or IDP for 60 days, then a local permit.

Is it safe?

Canada advises a high degree of caution and both advisories name Georgetown's markets, gardens, sea wall and several neighbourhoods as places where visitors are robbed; use booked taxis, avoid the streets after dark, and take a reputable operator inland.

What are the emergency numbers?

911 police, 912 fire, 913 ambulance.