Download - The Guianas Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. Location: Northeast coast of South America
The GuianasThe GuianasGuyana, Suriname and French Guiana
Location: Northeast coast of Location: Northeast coast of South AmericaSouth America
Guianas: What makes them Guianas: What makes them different?different?
All three were first colonized in the 1600s.
None use Spanish or Portuguese as their official language
One is a dependency of France, the other two only achieved independence in the second part of the 20th century
“Guiana” comes from a native term for land of the many waters
Physically, the region consists of a shield highland drained by rivers onto an alluvial plain
Besides these countries, parts of Brazil and Venezuela have also carried the name, “Guiana”
GuyanaGuyana
Formerly British Guiana
Capital: Georgetown3 British colonies
joined together in 1831
After slavery was abolished, indentured servants were brought in from Europe and Asia
90% of the people live on the coastal strip
Total population 770,000◦ Indo-Guyanese-43.5%◦ Afro-Guyanese-30.2%◦ Mixed-16.7%◦ Native groups 10%
Economy◦ Agriculture-mostly sugar◦ Mining-bauxite
Languages-English and Creole
Religions◦ Christian 57%◦ Hindu 23%◦ Islamic 7.3%
SurinameSuriname
Formerly Dutch GuianaCapital: ParamariboAcquired in trade 1667
for a colony called “New Amsterdam”
After slavery was abolished in the 1870s, the Dutch also imported contract laborers from the Dutch East Indies and India
Independent in 1975
SurinameSuriname
Relations between Suriname and the Netherlands have deteriorated some since independence◦ Desi Bouterse
dictatorship during the 1980s
Population around 500,000◦ 27% Indian◦ 18% Creole (Mixed
African/Dutch descent)◦ 15% Javanese◦ 15% Maroons
SurinameSuriname
Economy◦ Mining--Bauxite◦ Agriculture—Rice
bananas◦ Ecotourism
Large rainforestReligion
◦ No dominant religion Divided between
Christianity, Hinduism and Islam
◦ 20% Islamic minority is highest of any non-Muslim country
Languages◦ 60% speak Dutch as
first language◦ Most others speak it as
well◦ Other languages:
Sranan Tongo-a Creole, Hindi, Javanese
◦ Some have proposed choosing English to increase ties to the Caribbean
French GuianaFrench Guiana
Overseas Department of France
Capital: CayennePopulation-about
221,000◦Majority are Creole
(Mixed African/French) 60-70%
◦14% European◦20% are immigrants
French Space ProgramFrench Space Program
Economy◦Dependent on French
subsidies◦Fishing◦Space Center at
Kourou◦Agriculture is
relatively undeveloped Sugar and bananas
MaroonsMaroons
Generic term for escaped slaves in the Americas◦Often first generation◦Either kept their
African Language or mixed into a Creole
◦Kept their African customs
◦Subsistence economies