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A Short History of Guyana

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The Cooperative Republic of Guyana, or Guyana (formerly known as British Guyana), has on its historical background quite a long record and experience on being struggled upon and conquered by different countries. It was discovered in 1498 by the Europeans, and has been battled upon by the different European groups like the Dutch, French, Spanish and British for about 500 years.

Guyana has been a Dutch colony in the 17th century, and was later conquered and influenced by the British in 1815. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the large landmass north of the Amazon River and east of the Orinoco River has been divided into 5 sub-regions, namely: British Guiana (now Guyana), Spanish Guiana (now eastern Venezuela), Dutch Guiana (now Suriname), Portuguese Guiana (now northern Brazil), and French Guiana which is at present a French department in South America.

During the 500 years of being a colony to different countries, slavery has become a huge deal in the country. With Guyana having rich sugar resources, their conquerors have taken advantage of its abundance. However, with the abolition of slavery in the late 1800s, Guyana has started to become a home to the black people, and Indians started to storm the country and work in its rich sugar plantations.

Guyana gained its independence from the United Kingdom in the year 1966, and later on became a republic in 1970. They have considered the 1992 elections their first fair and free elections since they gained their independence. They are headed by a President together with the Prime Minister and Cabinet of Ministers.