National motto
One People, One Nation, One Destiny
Meet Guyana
Land of many waters, era of new opportunity.
Guyana’s name comes from the Amerindian word “wayna” — land of many waters. The only Commonwealth member state on the South American continent, independent since 1966 and a Cooperative Republic since 1970.
Kaieteur Falls · Potaro River
01At a glance
The essentials.
~779k
Population (2018)
US$4.1bn
GDP (2019), before the oil ramp-up
1966
Independence · Republic since 1970
EN
Official language: English
02Growth story
An economy transformed by discovery.
Since the first Stabroek Block discovery in 2015, more than sixteen further offshore finds have transformed Guyana into one of the fastest-growing economies on earth, drawing sustained international attention to the oil and gas sector.
Guyana is a member of the United Nations, the IMF, the World Bank, CARICOM, the OAS, the WTO and the Rio Group, and joined China’s New Silk Road initiative in July 2018, opening infrastructure development across ports and roads.
Beyond energy, the country’s natural heritage — Kaieteur Falls, the Iwokrama rainforest — anchors a growing eco-tourism sector, while strong bilateral ties with Brazil support cooperation in infrastructure and technology.
Where we work
From the Atlantic coast to the Rupununi.
IBN Guyana has two offices: Georgetown, the capital at the mouth of the Demerara River, and Lethem, in the Rupununi on the border with Brazil. Between them lies a country of rivers, rainforest and savannah.
03Economy
Primary sectors.
The productive base of the country, before and alongside oil.
- 01Agriculture
- 02Natural gas
- 03Mining
- 04Petroleum
- 05Forestry
- 06Fishing
04Symbols
What the flag says.
—
Green
Agriculture and forests
—
White
Rivers and water
—
Gold
Mineral wealth
—
Black
Resilience and endurance
—
Red
Dynamism and zeal in nation-building
Guyana’s institutional memberships — UN, IMF, World Bank, CARICOM, OAS, WTO, Rio Group — frame the legal and commercial environment investors operate in.
National symbols
The symbols of a nation.
Guyana’s coat of arms is held by two jaguars and carries the Canje pheasant and the Victoria amazonica water lily. Its flag is the Golden Arrowhead.
National bird
Canje pheasant
The hoatzin, a bird of the rivers and creeks, named after the Canje River.
National flower
Victoria amazonica
The giant water lily, whose leaves grow more than two metres across.
National animal
Jaguar
The largest cat of the Americas, and the guardian of the national coat of arms.
Contact
Talk to the network.
Tell us about your company, the sector you operate in and the kind of presence you are considering in Guyana. We reply within one business day, in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
Offices
Georgetown
250 South Road, Bourda
Georgetown, Guyana
Lethem — Rupununi
430 Barack Retreat & Takutu Drive
Central Lethem, Region #9, Guyana