Population: 733, 800

Area: 83,000 square miles

Language: English

Time: Varies. Roughly +2 hours from New York

Electricity: 110 volts in George town. 220 in other places.

Geography: The country is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the north, Venezuela to the west, Brazil to the south and Surinam to the east. The marshland along the coast, which was reclaimed by the Dutch when they were in power here, runs 10-40 miles inland along the Atlantic coast and is home to 90% of the population. The name Guyana is actually an Amerindian word meaning "land of many waters." The word probably refers to the many rivers found in Guyana - all of which flow northward to the Atlantic Ocean.

International Airport

Georgetown - Timehri International Airport - The airport is 30 miles from the city. Transit time is 45 minutes to 1 hour. Taxis and busses are available. Note that direct flights from North America do not yet exist. For now, there are flights to/from Barbados.

Tipping: In restaurants 10% is appropriate. Lose change to porters and taxi drivers.

Shopping: Most stores open by 9 am but close in the mid-afternoon. Probably the most popular items are woodcarvings. Pottery is worth considering as it is unique.

Food and Drink: One should try something called "pepper Pot" which is a spicy stew which is a well known Creole dish. There are many Chinese eateries and East Indian food is very common. Rum is a popular beverage as well as various fruit punches.

Social: The makeup of the population of this South American country is very mixed. Over 50% of the people are East Indian, over 40% are an Afro-Amerindian mix and the remainder are Amerindians, Chinese and some others. The population does not mix well and there is friction. There is a great deal of crime here especially in Georgetown. Avoid arriving at the airport at night or being on the streets at night.

Banking: Banks are open Weekdays from 8:30 am to 1 pm. There are no weekend hours.

Currency: Guyanese Dollar (G$) The currency has no coins.

Money Exchange: Exchange rates are nearly the same in banks as in the exchange kiosks. Bureaucracy in the banks is very time consuming.

Credit cards: Visa and Master Card are most accepted. American Express and Diners Club are accepted in few places.

Climate

Since the country is so near to the equator, there is little in the way of seasons except for the amount of rain. May to mid-August and mid-November to early February are the rainy times. As you move away from the shore the rainfall diminishes and the temperatures are more erratic.