Georgetown, Guyana

Georgetown is the administrative and financial capital of Guyana. Located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and along the Demerara River, Georgetown was an important port community before it developed into the nation's capital. Georgetown was first established as a military fort and changed hands many times during the European colonial period. The modern structure and culture of Georgetown is the result of French, Dutch, and British influences blended with the country's indigenous cultures.

Georgetown is Guyana's only major city and contains all of the country's administrative offices and buildings as well as a majority of the country's financial buildings. In addition, Georgetown is Guyana's transportation hub and contains both of the country's airports. A significant portion of Guyana's population lives in or near Georgetown.

Landscape

Georgetown is a coastal city located in tropical South America. About 80 percent of Guyana is covered in dense tropical jungles, while the remaining landscape is divided between tropical savannah and coastal plains. Georgetown is the largest city, followed by Linden and New Amsterdam.

Georgetown is located in the Demerara-Mahaica region alongside the Atlantic Ocean. The city sits about 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) below sea level at high tide. Georgetown also borders the eastern bank of the Demerara River, one of Guyana's largest rivers. Walls built during the English and French colonization are designed to protect the city from flooding, and two major irrigation canals run through the center of the city.

The climate in Georgetown varies little from season to season. The average daily temperature is about 26 degrees Celsius (78 degrees Fahrenheit), with high average humidity and frequent rainfall. The rainfall is a product of cool ocean currents meeting warmer air currents in the tropical doldrums. The annual precipitation averages about 2.2 meters (88 inches) a year. The country sometimes suffers droughts in late August or September.

Georgetown, and the rest of Guyana, is grappling with the effects of climate change. Because of rising sea water, Georgetown is one of nine major world cities predicted to be underwater by 2030 unless greenhouse gas emissions are halted. Early in 2021, flooding devastated crops and destroyed thousands of homes.

Urban Georgetown is arranged into a grid. The city contains extensive green spaces, and most of the streets are lined with tropical trees. Much of the city's architecture is of wooden, colonial design, though each year a number of new, modern buildings are constructed. Some of the city's oldest buildings are constructed on brick stilts to prevent flooding.

Greater Georgetown includes the downtown area, which contains the administrative, financial, and cultural buildings, and the surrounding areas, which are predominantly residential. Greater Georgetown contains forty-nine wards, many of which still bear names given during the country's colonial occupation. Stabroek Ward is one of the oldest in Georgetown and connects to Main Street, where many of the city's administrative and governmental offices are located. Residential wards surrounding the urban center also contain commercial areas with businesses, markets, and restaurants.

People

Over 90 percent of the population of Guyana lives in the coastal plain, which makes up roughly 5 percent of the country's entire area. Within the region, Georgetown is the most populous city with an estimated population of approximately 235,017 as of 2023, according to World Population Review. As of 2023, Guyana had a population of 791,739 people.

Guyana is an ethnically diverse country with large populations of European, Indian, African, Asian, and indigenous descent. East Indians form the largest ethnic group at approximately 40 percent of the population, according to 2024 CIA estimates. People of African descent make up about 30 percent of the population. Georgetown is also home to large numbers of residents of Chinese and European descent. Though there are large numbers of indigenous persons in Guyana, most live in the plains regions rather than the major cities.

English is the official language of Guyana and is spoken by the majority of Georgetown residents. French, Hindi, and Urdu are also used in some portions of the city. An English-based form of Creole, sometimes called Creolese, is also spoken in Georgetown and some of the other large cities. Creolese contains elements of French, English, and Dutch blended with West Indian expressions.

Georgetown has a number of churches left from the city's colonial heritage. Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism are the major religions and account for over 70 percent of the religious population. Indigenous tribal religions are practiced in some communities but are uncommon in the city.

Culture in Georgetown is similar to that of other cities in the West Indies. Social customs in Guyana are a hybrid of African, Asian, and European influences. Georgetown's major sporting institutions are cricket, football (soccer), and softball. Guyana's cuisine combines West Indian and African influences coupled with a variety of indigenous recipes and ingredients.

Economy

Guyana's economy has been bolstered about 43 percent in 2020 because of crude oil. ExxonMobil, a US company, estimates that Guyana holds at least ten billion barrels of crude oil--enough to lift its people out of poverty. Also contributing to Guyana's economy and gross domestic product are the production and export of six principal products: sugar, bauxite (aluminum ore), gold, timber, shrimp, and rice. Because these commodities are dependent on factors such as weather conditions and fluctuating global prices, the economy of Guyana as a whole and Georgetown specifically can be volatile. The area surrounding Georgetown houses some of the country's major industrial complexes, including mines, factories, and agricultural production facilities.

Guyana is rich in natural resources, and the ecotourism industry has begun to play a significant role in the economy. Research and scientific organizations headquartered in Guyana have made important contributions to the scientific understanding of coastal and tropical ecosystems.

Guyana's economy suffered substantially during the 1970s due to high government debt and low productivity. Faced with dwindling employment rates and increasing debt, the government organized an Economic Recovery Program (ERP) in 1989. By 1990, the country was beginning to show signs of economic recovery and growth. Through assistance programs from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, Guyana continued its economic growth and restructured its plan for paying the national debt.

Georgetown receives the majority of Guyana's tourism, hotel, and recreational revenues. The city also connects to the country's most extensive railway system. Construction is underway on a highway system that will connect Georgetown to Brazil and thereby increase the potential for shipping between the two nations. Transportation to and from Georgetown often takes place through the city's canals or by ocean transport.

Landmarks

The Stabroek Market is located in the oldest section of downtown Georgetown. The market, on historic Water Street, is administered and maintained by the local government. The shops on Water Street offer food, handicrafts, and a variety of other items.

The Georgetown Botanical Gardens, established in 1877, contain large collections of tropical palms and flowers. The gardens are an increasingly important site for tropical research and receive students and visiting researchers from across the world. The gardens also provide a recreational area for the city's residents.

St. George's Cathedral is one of Georgetown's most famous buildings and is a prime example of the city's colonial architecture. The cathedral, which was constructed in the 1890s, is one of the world's tallest wooden buildings. The building has been restored several times to replace ailing structural elements, but engineers have been careful to preserve the building's architectural integrity.

The parliament building is one of Guyana's most important government centers. It houses the legislative and administrative branches of Guyana's government. Located in the central hub of Georgetown, the parliament building is also of interest because of its nineteenth-century British design.

History

Guyana and its capital, Georgetown, have a history based in European colonialism. The Spanish first claimed Guyana in 1499 as part of their extended colonial territories. Dutch colonists entered Guyana in the 1600s and captured most of the Spanish settlements.

In 1781, British lieutenant colonel Robert Kingston built Fort Saint George at the mouth of the Demerara River. The area had been occupied prior to the British arrival, but Kingston's fort marked the beginning of permanent British settlement in the area.

In 1782, the French captured Fort Saint George along with most of the British settlements in Guyana. The French expanded the fort with roads and residential areas and used slave labor to dig the first canals. The French originally called the settlement Longchamps. They later renamed it La Novelle Ville.

After several military victories, the French captured most of Guyana and returned some colonies, including La Novelle Ville, to their Dutch allies. The Dutch renamed the town Stabroek, after the president of the Dutch West Indies Company. Dutch colonists expanded the city. Roads were constructed in a traditional Dutch grid, and additional canals were added to improve drainage. Most of the labor was conducted by African and Indian slaves.

The French-Dutch alliance threatened the British economy by reducing supplies of crucial resources from South America. The British again occupied Guyana in 1796. By 1802, the British had captured Stabroek, along with most of the other Dutch colonies.

Prior to Great Britain's capture of Guyana, small satellite towns had begun to grow around Stabroek. After recapturing the city, the British expanded the road system and integrated most of the satellite communities into the urban area.

In 1812, the British renamed the town Georgetown, after King George III. The central area was still called Stabroek and eventually became one of the city's wards. The incorporated satellite towns, including Kingston, Cummingsburg, and Werk-en-Rust, were also converted into urban wards as the town expanded.

Georgetown was administered by local constables and was the site of the first military force for the British government in the region. Soldiers stationed in Georgetown were responsible for military control over the entire region, effectively making Georgetown the head of the country.

In the 1830s, residents petitioned the British government to install a mayor and town council. Georgetown then entered a period of rapid expansion. School systems, public works authorities, and tax systems were installed. In 1842, Georgetown was officially designated as a city. Migration into Georgetown increased.

From the 1830s to the 1850s, Guyana experienced an influx of immigrants from Portugal, East India, China, and Africa. While most immigrants arrived as temporary merchants, many chose to remain in Georgetown. Large populations of current and former slaves also settled in and around Georgetown and contributed significantly to the city's culture.

As the city suffered frequent flooding, the British continued to expand the town canal system and during the 1850s began construction of a sea wall to protect the city from erosion. Additional walls were later added to the portions of the town bordering the river. Growth continued over the next several decades with the introduction of the first paved roads, streetlights, and eventually electricity. Major fires in the mid-twentieth century saw extensive rebuilding of the city center, with concrete replacing wood in construction.

Famous activist and political leader Cheddi Jagan changed the course of Guyana's history when he entered politics in the 1940s. Jagan, who was the descendent of an indigenous tribe and educated abroad, organized a progressive political movement from Georgetown and thereby helped to establish the city as the political capital. Jagan's People's Progressive Party (PPP) became the political arm of the country's independence movement.

In 1966, Guyana gained its independence, and by 1970 the country had established itself as an independent republic. Renamed the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, the government spent the next decade establishing an administrative system and working on the first constitution, which was finished in 1980. Some political analysts believe that the United States and British intelligence communities played a major role in determining who would control Guyana after the country gained its independence. Although Guyana is located in South America, it has strong political ties to the Caribbean nations and was a founding member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Since the 1980s, Georgetown has been slowly moving towards modernization. In 2006 Guyana entered the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, providing new export opportunities for businesses in the capital. National debt relief programs also benefited Georgetown in the 2000s and 2010s. The city now has updated public works, transportation, and sanitation systems and has been making improvements to its public education system. However, Georgetown still maintains much of its cultural and historic heritage.

Bibliography

Arsenault, Chris. "With Oil Boom, Guyana Walks a Tightrope on Grown and Climate." Al Jazeera, 21 Nov. 2021, www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/11/12/with-oil-boom-guyana-walks-a-tightrope-on-growth-and-climate. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024.

Bissessar, Ann Marie, and John Gaffar La Guerre. Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana: Race and Politics in Two Plural Societies. Lanham: Lexington, 2013. Print.

"Guyana." UNData. United Nations Statistics Division, 2014. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.

"Guyana." World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 20 Feb. 2024, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guyana/ Accessed 26 Feb. 2024.

"Guyana." World Health Organization, 2019, www.who.int/countries/guy/en/. Accessed 18 Apr. 2019.

Hinds, David. Ethnopolitics and Power Sharing in Guyana: History and Discourse. Washington: New Academia, 2011. Print.