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| Common name | Guyana | | Name | Co-operative Republic of Guyana | | Motto | "One People, One Nation, One Destiny" | | Anthem | "Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains" | | Capital | Georgetown | | Largest city | capital | | Official languages | English | | Regional languages | Portuguese, Hindi, Spanish, Akawaio, Macushi, Wai Wai, Arawak, Patamona, Warrau, Carib, Wapishiana, Arekuna | | National language | Guyanese Creole | | Ethnic groups | East Indian 43.5%
Black (African) 30.2%
Mixed 16.7%
Amerindian 9.1%
Other 0.5% | | Demonym | Guyanese | | Government | Semi-presidential republic | | President | Bharrat Jagdeo | | Prime Minister | Sam Hinds | | Former Colonies | Former Colonies | | Dutch Guiana | 1667 � 1814 | | British Guiana | 1814 � 1966 | | Total Area | 83000 sq mi (214970 km2) (84th) | | Water % | 8.4 | | Population Est. | 752,9401 (161st) | | Population census | 751223 (2002) | | Density (pop.) | 3.5/km2 (225th) (9.071/sq mi) | | GDP PPP | $5.379 billion (2010) | | GDP (PPP) per capita | $6,964 | | GDP (nominal) | $2.215 billion (2010) | | GDP (nominal) per capita | $2,868 | | HDI | (+) 0.611 (2010) (medium) (107th) | | Currency | Guyanese dollar (GYD) | | Time zone | GYT Guyana Time (UTC-4) | | Drives on the | right | | Internet TLD | .gy | | Calling code | 592 |
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Guyana ( ), officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and (for over 200 years) of the British. It is the only state of the Commonwealth of Nations on mainland South America, and it is also a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which has its secretariat headquarters in Guyana's capital, Georgetown. Guyana achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 26 May 1966, and became a Republic on 23 February 1970.
Historically, the region known as "Guiana" or "Guayana" comprised the large shield landmass north of the Amazon River and east of the Orinoco River known as the "Land of many waters". Historic Guyana is made up of three Dutch colonies: Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice. Modern Guyana is bordered to the east by Suriname, to the south and southwest by Brazil, to the west by Venezuela, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean.
At 215,000 km2, Guyana is the third-smallest independent state on the mainland of South America (after Uruguay and Suriname). Its population is approximately 770,000, a plurality of which are of East Indian descent.
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