Guyana is a nation shaped by centuries of migration, colonization, and resilience. Here is a look at where our country comes from, and the natural wonders that make it one of a kind.
Indigenous Roots and Colonial Era
Long before European ships arrived, the land now called Guyana was home to Indigenous peoples including the Arawak, Carib, Wapishana, Macushi, and Warao, who lived along its rivers and coastlines and left a lasting mark on the country’s place names and culture.
Dutch traders and settlers established the first European colonies along the Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice rivers in the 1600s, building an economy centered on sugar, cotton, and coffee plantations. Control passed to the British in the early 1800s, and in 1831 the three colonies were merged into a single territory known as British Guiana.
Slavery powered the plantation economy until its abolition in 1838, after which plantation owners brought indentured laborers from India, as well as workers from China, Portugal, and elsewhere, to keep the fields running. This mix of peoples is why Guyana today is one of the most ethnically diverse nations in the Caribbean and South America.
Guyana gained independence from Britain on May 26, 1966, and became a republic within the Commonwealth on February 23, 1970. Today, both dates are celebrated nationally as milestones in the country’s journey to self-governance.
Berbice and New Amsterdam
Berbice began as a separate Dutch colony centered on the Berbice River, with New Amsterdam founded as its capital in the late 1700s. The town’s name and grid layout reflect its Dutch origins, and it grew into a hub for the surrounding sugar and later rice-growing communities. Berbice formally joined with Demerara and Essequibo to form British Guiana in 1831, but New Amsterdam has remained the proud administrative and cultural heart of the region ever since.
Our Flora: A Rainforest Nation
More than three quarters of Guyana is covered in pristine rainforest, making it one of the most forested countries on Earth and an important carbon sink for the planet. This dense interior hides savannas, wetlands, and mountain ranges that most visitors never get to see.
The Victoria amazonica, a giant water lily whose pads can grow wide enough to support the weight of a small child, is Guyana’s national flower and can be found in the black-water creeks of the interior. The forests are also home to greenheart, purpleheart, and other prized hardwood trees that have supported the logging and construction trades for generations.
Kaieteur Falls, one of the tallest single-drop waterfalls in the world, plunges through untouched jungle in Kaieteur National Park and remains one of the country’s most striking natural landmarks.
Our Fauna: Wildlife of Guyana
Guyana’s national bird, the Canje Pheasant, better known as the hoatzin, is a striking, prehistoric-looking bird found in the swamps and waterways of the Berbice and Canje regions. Its chicks are born with tiny claws on their wings that let them climb back into trees if they fall into the water below, a trait shared with very few birds alive today.
The interior rainforests and rivers shelter jaguars, giant river otters, capybara, and the arapaima, one of the largest freshwater fish species in the world. Guyana’s rivers and wetlands also support hundreds of bird species, making the country a growing destination for eco-tourism and birdwatching.
The Golden Arrowhead
Guyana’s national flag, nicknamed the Golden Arrowhead, points forward as a symbol of progress. Its colors carry meaning: green for the forests and farmland, gold for mineral wealth, white for the rivers, black for endurance, and red for the energy and zeal of building the nation.