According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word ‘Guyana’ comes from the Amerindian language ‘wayna‘ and means ‘Land of many waters. The country got its name because its territory is located between the Amazon and Orinoco rivers and it also has several rivers in its interior.
In 1814, it became a colony of England. The British officially named it English Guyana in 1831. Only in 1966, the country gained its independence and in 1970, it proclaimed itself what it is today, the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
The flag of the Republic of Guyana is known as the golden arrowhead. The colour green represents agriculture and woodlands. White symbolises rivers and water. Yellow reflects the mineral wealth of the country. Black represents resilience and red represents ardour and dynamism.
779.004 (2018)
Christianity and Hinduism are the dominant religions in Guyana. But there is also the presence of Islam, Buddhism, the Rastafarian movement, and the Bahá'í Faith.
According to the World Bank, Guyana has a gross domestic product (GDP) of 4.121 billion (2019) and its currency is the Guyanese dollar. The main economic activities are agriculture, natural gas, mining, petroleum, forestry, and fishing.
The country's main tourist attractions are the Kaieteur Falls and the Iwokrama rainforest.
The two countries have very friendly relations, which were recently strengthened thanks to the new South-South policy in Brazil, which aims to increase integration between the South American States.
In 1970, the Brazilian Government inaugurated the Brazilian Study Center in Georgetown and began the construction of a highway that would connect the city of Manaus to the capital of Guyana.
In 2017, 2 cooperation agreements were signed in the area of infrastructure and technology to combat drought, with the then president of Guyana David Arthur Granger visiting the Planalto Palace.
Guyana is a member of the United Nations (UN), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, CARICOM (Caribbean Community), the Organisation of American States (OAS), the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the Rio Group and is the only Commonwealth member State situated in South America.
