Knowra The Guianas The Guianas The Guianas are a northeastern South American region centered on Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, with broader definitions extending into neighboring Venezuela and Brazil.
Guyana : A country on the northern coast of South America, east of Venezuela and west of Suriname. It is the largest independent English-speaking state within the region.
Dutch colonization of the Guianas : The Dutch establishment and expansion of colonies along the Guianas’ Atlantic coast. Dutch rule shaped Suriname and left enduring traces in neighboring Guyana.
Arawak peoples : Indigenous peoples of South America and the Caribbean, including communities historically present in the Guianas. Arawak communities were among the region’s inhabitants before European colonization.
Amazon rainforest : The world’s largest tropical rainforest, extending across several South American countries. Its northeastern reaches connect the Guianas’ forests to a continental ecosystem.
Latin America : A broad region of the Americas shaped by languages derived from Latin, especially Spanish, Portuguese, and French. The Guianas sit at Latin America’s edge, with English- and Dutch-speaking societies as well.
Suriname : A country on the northern coast of South America, between Guyana and French Guiana. Its borders and history place it at the center of the Guianas.
British Guiana : A British colony on the northeastern coast of South America, renamed Guyana at independence in 1966. Its colonial boundaries became those of modern Guyana.
Carib peoples : Indigenous peoples of northern South America and the Caribbean, with communities across the Guianas. Carib peoples are central to the region’s Indigenous history and living cultures.
Guiana Shield forests : Tropical forests growing across the ancient Guiana Shield of northern South America. These forests hold much of the region’s biodiversity and remain comparatively intact.
Caribbean : A region encompassing the Caribbean Sea, its islands, and surrounding mainland coasts. The Guianas’ Atlantic-facing societies share histories and institutions with the Caribbean.
Show all 29