Guyana
About Guyana
Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a sovereign country located in South America, specifically within the South America subregion. Its capital and largest urban centre is Georgetown, and the country is home to approximately 773 thousand people. In its native language, the country is known as “Guyana”. English serves as the primary official language, shaping daily communication, education, government, and media throughout Guyana. The official currency in circulation is the Guyanese dollar ($), used for all domestic transactions and price-tagged goods. Guyana is widely recognised for Kaieteur Falls, vast pristine rainforest and a sudden offshore oil boom. People from Guyana are referred to as Guyanese.
Geography & climate
Guyana covers approximately 214,969 km² of territory, making it a mid-sized country by land area. It shares land borders with 3 neighbouring countries — a position that has historically influenced migration patterns, regional politics, and cross-border commerce. Geographically, Guyana sits in the Northern and Western Hemisphere, at roughly 5.0° N, 59.0° W. Standard civil time follows UTC-04:00 year-round, simplifying scheduling for residents and visitors alike. The prevailing climate of Guyana can be summarised as: atlantic coast & rainforest with tropical & humid. Local weather patterns naturally vary by altitude, latitude, and proximity to oceans or mountain ranges.
People, language & society
With roughly 773 thousand inhabitants, Guyana is a small nation in terms of population. The principal spoken language is English, which dominates public life, schooling, signage, and the workplace. Citizens are formally known in English as Guyanese, a demonym that appears in passports, official documents, and international reporting. Economically, the Guyanese dollar ($) is the medium of exchange used by households and businesses, with exchange rates monitored by the country's central monetary authority.
Quick facts at a glance
- 🏙️ CapitalGeorgetown
- 📛 Official nameCo-operative Republic of Guyana
- 🗣️ Native nameGuyana
- 🧑 DemonymGuyanese
- 📍 RegionNorthern South America
- 🌐 SubregionSouth America
- 📐 Area214,969 km²
- 👥 Population773 thousand
- 🌡️ ClimateAtlantic coast & rainforest · Tropical & humid
- 🗺️ Land borders3
- 💬 LanguageEnglish
- 💰 CurrencyGuyanese dollar ($)
- 📞 Calling code+592
- 🌐 Internet TLD.gy
- 🚗 Drives onleft side
- 🕐 Time zoneUTC-04:00
- 🇺🇳 UN memberYes
Practical travel & daily-life info
Visitors planning a trip to Guyana should familiarise themselves with the capital, Georgetown, the local time zone (UTC-04:00), the local currency (Guyanese dollar). The international dialling prefix is +592, which is required when phoning a Guyana number from abroad. Vehicles drive on the left side of the road, an important detail for anyone renting a car or crossing a land border by vehicle. The country's top-level internet domain is .gy, used by local businesses, government sites, and many news organisations. The working week traditionally starts on Monday, which affects business hours, banking, and public holidays.
Government & global standing
Guyana is recognised internationally as a sovereign, independent state. It is a member state of the United Nations, participating in the General Assembly and various specialised UN agencies. On the global stage, Guyana is generally classified within the South America region and more specifically the South America subregion, alongside neighbouring states with shared geographic, historical, or economic ties. GlobeIQ groups it under "Northern South America" for the purposes of the game's regional hint.
Bordering countries
Guyana shares land borders with 3 countries. Click any neighbour to read about it:
Did you know?
A waterfall plunges 226 m unbroken — five times taller than Niagara — while newly discovered offshore oil has launched the world's fastest-growing economy.
Guyana in the GlobeIQ atlas
Inside the GlobeIQ game, Guyana appears as a tougher puzzle reserved for geography fans who can pick up subtler hints. When the daily puzzle selects this country, players progressively unlock six hints — silhouette, climate and terrain, number of land borders, region, "known for" tagline, and finally the capital city — before a flag reveal confirms the answer. On its trophy card, Guyana carries the personality tags “💦 Kaieteur Falls” and “🛢️ Sudden Oil Boom”, short flavour labels chosen to evoke the country's most recognisable cultural signatures. Adding Guyana to your personal atlas is one of 195 small wins on the road to a complete world map. Each correctly guessed nation also contributes to your running streak and unlocks milestone celebrations at 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 collected countries.