GuyanaGuyana is a country located on the northern coast of South America. It is bordered to the north by the Atlantic Ocean and to the east by Suriname. To the south, Guyana borders Brazil and to the west, Brazil and Venezuela. Guyana achieved its independence on 26 May 1966 when it separated from Great Britain. Land and Resources Guyana has three different major geographic regions. These consist of a strip of land ranging from five to forty miles, a dense forest area that makes up about four-fifths of the country, and a region of savannah. The country also has many rivers that have spectacular waterfalls and one river has the tallest single-fall waterfall in the world. These rivers are navigable from the sea to about one hundred miles inland, after which they are no longer navigable on account of rapids and falls. Natural Resources The lands of Guyana have many valuable natural resources. Within the lands you can find gold, diamonds, kaolin, manganese and bauxite. If you were to travel a little off the coast, you might even find some oil. These natural resources are very important to help the economy of this poor country. The lands have many resources which are also found in vegetation and forests. Plants and trees are documented for their anomalous size and density. Guyana has an excellent lumber industry, they sell some of the best greenheart and blackberry. Within the forests there is a wide variety of wild animals which can range from deer to anteaters and some types of monkeys. The birds are very diverse, including for example sugar birds, cotingas and manakins which feed on Guyana's wide range of insects. Population, Education and Culture Guyana has approximately 800,000 people or an average of 3.8 people per square mile. Georgetown is the capital and home to a few hundred thousand people. As the capital, it is the main port city and is home to Guyana's premier educational institution. The University of Guyana is the best higher education and there are many schools across the country. In recent years the country has taken education to a much higher level. Guyana was colonized by East Indians, many still speak Urdu, Hindu and Tamil dialects. The official language is English. The culture is closer to Suriname and French Guiana than to the rest of South America. All of these different cultures have remained quite distinct and in today's society each group has its own lifestyle and culture. Economy In 1966, Guyana was in the early stages of developing its resources.