BARIMA-WAINI
The Barima-Waini region
gets its name from its two main rivers. The region is predominantly
forested highland, bordered at the north by a narrow strip of low
coastal plain.
Very few people live in Region
One. There are just 18,590, who live mainly in Amerindian
settlements.
Logging is the region's main
economic activity. The largest logging operation is run by the Barama
Company, which transports timber to Demerara to be processed into
plywood. There are many other timber operations, as the tropical
rainforest yields many species of hardwood and other useful types
of wood.
Mining for gold and diamond
is also done in the forested area. Many porknockers set up dredges
of various sizes.
The coast of Region One is
known for its beaches, particularly Shell Beach, the only beach
in the world to host four species of sea turtles during their nesting
period from March to July. One type, the Olive Ridgley, is almost
extinct. Another type, the Grant Letterback, is the world's largest
turtle. The Scarlet Ibis, the national bird of Trinidad and Tobago,
is also a common sight on these beaches.
POMEROON-SUPENAAM
The Pomeroon-Supenaam
region comprises forested highland and low coastal plain, but also
takes in a small portion of the hilly sand and clay region.
The 42,769 people
of this region live in Amerindian settlements and more established
villages concentrated along the coast. The town of Anna Regina,
on the west bank of the Essequibo River, grew out of a government
land development scheme and is made up of former plantations such
as Henrietta, Lima, La Belle Alliance.
The Tapakuma Project in this
Region links the Tapakuma, Reliance and Capoey lakes into one large
conservancy, which supplies irrigation water for rice fields which
dominate Region Two. One of Guyana's largest rice producers, Kayman
Sankar Ltd operates in this region, producing rice not only for
local consumption, but also for export to other countries of the
world.
Besides rice farming, some
people cultivate coconuts and care for beef and dairy cattle. Timber
production is conducted on a very small scale in this region. Not
surprisingly, the Region is known as 'the Rice land'.
ESSEQUIBO ISLANDS-WEST DEMERARA
The Essequibo Islands-West
Demerara Region is made up of the islands in the Essequibo River
such as Leguan and Wakenaam, and the Western portion of mainland
Demerara. It is made up of low coastland, hilly sand and clay, and
a small portion of forested highland regions.
This Region has a population
of 91,328 people who live in villages, many along the
coast. Rice farming is predominant, with small amounts of sugar
and coconut cultivation.
The Boerasirie Extension Project
converted the Boerasire Conservancy and the Canals Polder Conservancy
into a single reservoir, and reclaimed thousands of hectacres of
land, suitable for farming. The water from the conservancy is used
during the dry seasons for irrigation.
Sugar cane and coconuts are
cultivated on a smaller scale and there is also beef and dairy farming.
DEMERARA-MAHAICA
The Demerara-Mahaica
Region extends East of the Demerara River to the Western bank of
the Mahaica River, and is predominantly low coastal plain, with
a small portion of the hilly sand and clay region further inland.
The population is concentrated
along the coastland, particularly in Georgetown, the capital city,
which has a population of 56,095. The population of
Region Four is 297,162.
Guyana's administrative and
commercial activities are concentrated in this Region, especially
in and around Georgetown, the main port.
There are many sugar estates,
such as Diamond, Enmore and La Bonne Intention, owned and controlled
by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO). Some residents of this
region work on coconut estates, and many people have their own kitchen
gardens. Cattle are reared in small amounts for beef and diary purposes.
MAHAICA-BERBICE
The Mahaica-Berbice
Region extends east of the Mahaica River to the west bank of the
Berbice River. A large part of the region is low coastal plain.
Further inland lie the Intermediate Savannahs and hilly sand and
clay region.
The population of Region Five:
49,498, is much lower than in Region Four.
Rice farming is the main economic
activity of this region, followed by sugar and coconut farming,
and beef and dairy cattle ranching. The Region has a water conservancy
project aimed at improving the drainage and irrigation of the area.
Great dams were erected across the headwaters of the Mahaica, Mahaicony
and Abary Creeks to prevent the flooding of the farmlands in front
of them during the wet seasons. During the dry seasons, the dams
are opened to allow the land to be properly irrigated.
Amerindians living in inland
settlements make beautiful nibbi furniture, tibisiri baskets and
other craft items, which they sell to earn their living.
EAST BERBICE-CORENTYNE
The East Berbice-Corentyne
Region is the only one to include parts of all the four natural
[geographic] regions: coastal plain, intermediate savannah, hilly
and sandy clay area and forested highland. It is also the only Region
with three towns: New Amsterdam, Rose Hall and Corriverton. The
population of the Region is 142,839.
This Region, an important
rice-producing, cattle-rearing and sugarcane-producing area, is
very difficult to drain and irrigate. Because of this, the Torani
Canal was dug to join the Berbice River and the Canje Creek. Water
flows between the two and provides adequate water for irrigating
the land between them.
The area of Black Bush Polder,
which used to be a large swamp, was established as a land development
scheme. The Government of Guyana gave people land for houses and
for farming rice and their own kitchen farms.
Herds of cattle are reared
for beef and dairy on the Intermediate Savannahs. Many of the other
resources of the Region are not fully exploited. Logging is only
conducted on a small scale, although the seasonal and montane forests
of this Region can yield a variety of timber.
CUYUNI-MAZARUNI
The Cuyuni-Mazaruni
Region contains two of the four natural regions: forested highlands
and a small portion of the hilly sand and clay region.
This Region brings to mind
the majestic Pakaraima mountain range. Mount Roraima (2,810
metres high, standing at the point where Guyana, Brazil and Venezuela
meet) and Mount Ayanganna are in this mountain range.
Most of the 15,342
people of this Region are involved in mining for gold and diamonds.
Omai Gold Mines Ltd, which extracted 250,642 ounces
of gold last year [1994], is the biggest gold producer in this Region,
and in Guyana.
Under the Upper Mazaruni Hydroelectric
Scheme, a hydroelectric plant was to provide electricity for the
Region was planned, but it has not yet been built. It would be a
great asset to the Region's development.
There are eight Amerindian
settlements in the area of the Pakaraimas, where crops are grown.
These crops supply the settlements and gold and diamond mines in
the Region.
POTARO-SIPARUNI
The Potaro-Siparuni
Region gets its name from the Potaro and Siparuni Rivers, which
are tributaries of the Essequibo River.
Predominantly forested highland
with a small portion of hilly sand and clay, this region is home
to the famous Kaieteur and Orinduik Falls. The Kaieteur is one of
the highest single-drop waterfalls in the world, and it is one of
the beautiful sights in the Guyana. The waterfalls of this region
are great tourist attractions.
The people of this region,
merely 5,737 in number, are involved in gold and diamond
mining and forestry. Mazda Mining Company Ltd has the largest operation
in this region.
Many of these mining companies
are destroying the rivers they work in especially the Essequibo
and Konawaruk Rivers.
The Iwokrama Rainforest Project
is partly located in this region. The project studies how the rainforest
can be used in the country's development (for example, by providing
timber) without being destroyed or depleted.
UPPER TAKUTU-ESSEQUIBO
The Kanuku and Kamoa highlands
and the vast Rupununi savannahs make up the Upper Takutu-Upper
Essequibo region. The forested Kanuku Mountains divide this
Region in two. The north savannahs are about 2,000
square miles in area, and the south savannahs are 2,500
square miles.
The population of 15,087
lives in scattered Amerindian villages and land settlement schemes.
Because of the grassy savannahs,
the Rupununi is considered to be 'cattle country'. Most of the cattle
are farmed to produce beef, and a few are kept for milk. There are
large ranches at Aishalton, Annai, Dadanawa and Karanambo. Much
of the beef produced here is sold in neighbouring Brazil, because
transportation to the other regions of Guyana, especially Region
Four, is very expensive.
The people of this region
also mine semiprecious stones among the foothills of the Kamoa Mountains
and among the Marundi Mountains. A wide variety of craft is produced
in many of the seventeen Amerindian villages, and sold mainly to
Brazil.
In Region Nine, you can see
the Giant River Otter, the Arapaima (the largest freshwater fish
in the world) and the black Cayman.
UPPER DEMERARA-UPPER BERBICE
The inland region of Upper
Demerara-Upper Berbice contains the largest portion of the hilly
sand and clay area. Guyana's principal bauxite deposits are found
in the White Sands area.
The 39,106 people
of this 'bauxite region' work mainly with bauxite companies Linmine
(at Linden and Ituni) and Bermine (at Everton and Kwakwani). The
extracted bauxite is exported to make aluminum.
A small portion of the Iwokrama
Rainforest Project is located in this Region. Cattle-rearing and
forestry are also done on very small scales.
In all of these regions, the
economic activities provide the people who live there with the means
to earn a living. These activities also help to pay for schools
and hospitals in every Region. |
