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

Derived Forms

• Guyanese
  noun

Example Sentences

The Essequibo region comprises more than two-thirds of Guyana.

From Barron's • May 9, 2026

Non-OPEC producers including Guyana, Brazil and Canada are also planning to pump out more oil in a bid for economic growth.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

Production over the last two decades has also climbed in Canada, Guyana and Brazil.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

California gets crude oil from the Middle East but also from Canada, Argentina and Guyana.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 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