Guyana
South America · Georgetown · GY
Guyana is the green, English-speaking country of the northern shoulder of South America, the land of the waters and the rainforests that rises from the long Atlantic coast through the vast rivers and the interior highlands toward the borders of the mighty neighbours of the west and the south. The country, which built its old economy on the sugar and the gold and its new wealth on the offshore oil of the Atlantic, holds the enormous remote rainforest of the interior, the heart of the live wilderness of the continent, with the great falls of the Kaieteur and the unexplored massifs of the Pakaraima. The capital of the Georgetown, the colonial wooden city of the canals and the old buildings, anchors the coastal nation, and the reef and the wildlife of the rivers give the country its spectacular natural character. Undiscovered, immense and richly wild, Guyana is the true frontier of the Amazon world.
Overview
Guyana is a country in South America. Its capital is Georgetown and the international dialling code is +592. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include English. Local currency is the Guyanese Dollar (GYD). Our guide covers 1 airport, including Cheddi Jagan International Airport. We also list 1 city in Guyana: Georgetown.
The Fall of the Kaieteur and the Plateaus of the Pakaraima
The great fall of the Kaieteur, the enormous cataract of the Potaro river that drops over the edge of the sandstone plateau of the interior of the country, is the world-class wonder of Guyana and among the most powerful waterfalls on earth, with the full width and volume of the river roaring into the gorge below. The fall, five times the height of the famous Niagara and set in the deep, untouched rainforest of the national park of the same name, is reached by the short flight or the river trip of the interior, and the overflight and the walks of the rim give the unforgettable scale of the natural wonder. The highlands of the Pakaraima, the ancient table mountains of the country that rise to the borders of the west, with their tepuis, their savannas and their streams, complete the extraordinary plateau world of the interior of Guyana.
The Capital of the Georgetown and the Timber of the City
The capital of the Georgetown, the green city on the coast of the country where the estuary of the Demerara meets the Atlantic, is the elegant heart of the nation, famous for the extraordinary wooden architecture of its colonial buildings. The city, laid out on the grid of the canals and avenues that the Dutch and British engineers of the colony designed, holds the great institutions of the english-speaking world of the region, the cathedral of the Anglican church with its famous wooden spire, the town hall and the magnificent botanical gardens. The markets and the streets of the capital, from the great covered market of the port with its clock tower to the food stalls of the centre, give the visitor the atmosphere of the distinctive, almost Caribbean wooden capital of the South American coast.
The Roaring Rivers and the Wildlife of the Interior
The rivers of the country, the enormous waterways of the Essequibo, the Demerara and the Berbice that drain the interior, are the ancient highways of the forest world of the country, and the river journeys thread the heart of the wilderness of the region. The banks of the great rivers, lined with the forest and the beaches of the white sand, hold the jaguars, the giant river otters, the tapirs, the giant anteaters and the enormous flocks of the birds, while the endangered giant otters of the interior offer the celebrated mammal sightings of the region. The lodges and the camps of the river systems, from the rustic forest facilities to the cruises of the region, organize the safaris, the fishing of the arawana and the jungle walks of the deep interior, giving the traveler the wildest rivers of the continent.
The Reefs of the Coast and the Turtles of the Shores
The coast of the country, the long muddy and mangrove shoreline that the rivers feed with the sediment of the interior, holds the extraordinary phenomena of the marine world of the region, above all the great nesting of the turtles of the season of the high tide. The leatherback turtles, the enormous sea reptiles that come ashore to lay their eggs on the shell beach, the sacred nesting ground protected by the conservation organizations of the country, give the unforgettable spectacle of the life cycle of the ocean giants. The communities of the coastal Amerindians and the calm of the wide brown beaches, together with the marine sanctuary of the coral-laced reefs of the river mouths, complete the coastline picture of the giant turtles and the wild seabirds of the country of the waters.
The Villages of the Interior and the Giant Water Lilies of the Amazon
The interior of the country, the enormous forest and the wetland world of the rivers where the peoples of the many cultures live in the small settlements, holds the great garden of the north, with the famous giant water lilies spreading across the calm lakes. The villages of the interior, from the communities of the Amerindians of the rivers of the forest to the settlements of the mining and the farming districts, maintain the languages, the crafts and the deep ways of the interior, and the markets sell the cassava, the fruit and the woven crafts of the forest peoples. The lakes, in the classic picture of the Amazonian country, spread the enormous leaves and the huge pale flowers of the giant water lily, and the wetlands, with their wildlife and their birds, complete the slow, deep, watery heart of Guyana.
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- Capital
- Georgetown
- Currency
- Guyanese Dollar (GYD)
- Languages
- English
- Calling code
- +592
- Internet TLD
- gy
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Guyana.
Airports (1)
All airports →Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Guyana?
Georgetown is the capital of Guyana, and the country sits in South America.
What currency is used in Guyana?
You pay with Guyanese Dollar (GYD) in Guyana. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Guyana?
The languages we list for Guyana are English. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Guyana?
The dialling code for Guyana is +592 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which airports serve Guyana?
Cheddi Jagan International Airport (GEO) in Georgetown is the airport we cover for Guyana.
Which cities in Guyana do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Guyana: Georgetown (capital).