Forgotten World (159): Guyana
The only English-speaking country in South America,the former British colony of Guyana became independent in 1966.
Around half of the population of around 850,000 are the descendants of indentured Indian agricultural workers brought in by the British after slavery was abolished. A third is descended from African slaves, imported by the Dutch to work on sugar plantations. Persistent tension between these two groups has fuelled political instability and is reflected in hostility between the two main parties, which are ethnically-based.
Guyana boasts a remarkably rich ecology, but also has one of South America’s poorest economies. Tropical rain forests are a big draw for eco-tourists, but political troubles, ethnic tension and economic mismanagement have left the former British colony with serious economic problems.