Guyana is a country in the continent of South, America. The capital of this South American gem is called Georgetown. Georgetown is located in Region 4 of Guyana’s ten Administrative Regions.
Guyana’s National Flag is called the Golden Arrow Head. It is painted in green, white, yellow, black, and red. The five colors of Guyana’s flag each carry symbolic significance.
The official language of Guyana is English. This is due to its history as a British Colony. Although English is taught in schools, in everyday life, most Guyanese speak a dialect called Creolese. Creolese was birthed when the African slaves and East Indian indentured laborers, and to a lesser extend, the Indigenous peoples, struggled to speak the ruler’s language. They picked up words here and there, but the structure and pronunciation weren’t perfect – giving birth a broken-down form of English referred to as Guyanese Creolese.
The approximate population of Guyana, South America, is 700,000. The population growth of Guyana stunted during the rule of Forbes Burnham when the citizens fled starvation and poverty to neighboring countries as well as further abroad. Aggressive emigration continued during successive governments as most Guyanese saw a brighter future in foreign lands than at home. This chronic emigration culture also led to something called a “brain drain.”
Because of bad leadership, corruption, and failed economic policies, most Guyanese searched for a better life abroad. Persons with outstanding academic qualifications found it easier to migrate to first world countries as they offered opportunities which relied on academic performances. Consequently, intellectuals found it easier to migrate to developed nations such as Canada, USA, and England. This resulted in fewer persons of academic capabilities left behind to manage Guyana’s affairs. This is referred to as the post independence brain drain from which Guyana suffered after independence.
The National Anthem of Guyana is called “Dear Land of Guyana.” The lyrics of the National Anthem was authored by Archibald Leonard Luker, and the music was composed by Robert Cyril Gladstone Potter. It was adopted as the National Anthem in 1966 when the country gained Independence from the British Empire.
Guyana is ruled by a president who is elected through national elections every five years. Second to the president is the Prime Minister who takes up the executive powers of the president in case of an emergency such as travel, sickness, or death.
Guyana is famous for its exquisite dishes such as cookup rice, Chinese fried rice, and pepperpot, to name a few.
The National Sport of Guyana is cricket. Guyanese are most enthusiastic about the sport of cricket.
If you are a foreigner visiting Guyana, be sure to take a trip to the Kaieteur Falls – the world’s highest one-drop waterfall.
