Georgetown, the Capital of Guyana

Cover Photo by John Greene

First Published: 16th of January, 2016 by Patrick Carpen.

Last updated: May 27, 2024 at 23:25 pm

Georgetown is the capital city of Guyana, and it is also the country’s only city. The city of Georgetown is located in Administrative Region No. 4. Originally founded by the Dutch and called Stabroek, the British changed the name to Georgetown in 1781. The city of Georgetown is home to Guyana’s chief port: Port Georgetown which lies on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Demerara River.

The population of Georgetown is approximately 400,000 and comprises of the East Indians, Chinese, Portuguese, African, Indigenous, whites (smallest group), and mixed races. Economic activities in Georgetown include manufacturing, retail outlets, shipping and transportation industries, hotels, restaurants, and night clubs. Since 2015, with the discovery of sweet light crude off the coasts of the Atlantic, oil and gas related enterprises have tremendously augmented the economic activities in Georgetown. A large fraction of the population of Georgetown are employed in government controlled sectors.

There are a number of private and public schools in Georgetown. Some private schools include Mae’s Academy and School of the Nations. Queen’s College, Guyana’s number 1 high school, is located in Georgetown.

This article was reprinted in the Guyana, South America Monthly Magazine June 2022 Edition.