Guyana

American  

[gahy-an-uh, -ah-nuh] / gaɪˈæn ə, -ˈɑ nə /

noun

1. an independent republic on the northeastern coast of South America: a former British protectorate; gained independence 1966; member of the Commonwealth of Nations. 82,978 sq. mi. (214,913 sq. km). Georgetown.

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Guyana British  

/ ɡaɪˈænə /

noun

1. Former name (until 1966): British Guiana.  a republic in NE South America, on the Atlantic: colonized chiefly by the Dutch in the 17th and 18th centuries; became a British colony in 1831 and an independent republic within the Commonwealth in 1966. Official language: English. Religions: Christian and Hindu. Currency: dollar. Capital: Georgetown. Pop: 739 903 (2013 est). Area: about 215 000 sq km (83 000 sq miles)

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Other Word Forms

• Guyanese
  noun

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Guyana

Africa's entry into space is not entirely new: Egypt launched its Nilesat 101 from French Guyana in 1998, a first for the continent.

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

The royal pair will travel to Antigua and Barbuda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, with the King also visiting the Bahamas and Guyana as part of the eight-day trip.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

At least 41 people died after a ferry capsized off the coast of Guyana over the weekend, the government said Tuesday.

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

U.K. pop-soul singer Olivia Dean’s grandmother took her first plane ride at 18, when she emigrated to the U.K. from Guyana.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

The Demerara is a river in Guyana, but the word was also used to refer to a region, and even to the colony itself.

From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson