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