Guyanese

Guyanese are the people of Guyana, a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America. The country is ethnically and culturally diverse, shaped by Indigenous peoples, African and Indian descendants, and immigrants from other parts of the Caribbean and Asia. The population of Guyana is around 800,000, with a substantial diaspora in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and other Caribbean states.

Most Guyanese trace their roots to Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese communities, with smaller but significant Indigenous, Chinese, Portuguese, and mixed-heritage groups. English is the official language and is used in government and education; Guyanese Creole, an English-based creole, is the widely used lingua franca. Other languages spoken include Hindi, Urdu, Portuguese, and various Indigenous languages.

Religiously, Guyana is diverse, with Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity as the major traditions. Cultural life features Mashramani, the Republic Day festival, as well as religious and regional observances such as Diwali, Eid, and Christmas. Traditional foods include roti, pepperpot, and cook-up rice, reflecting its multiracial heritage. Cricket is a popular sport, and Guyana participates in the West Indies cricket team.

Historically inhabited by Amerindian peoples, the area was claimed by the Dutch in the 17th century and later became a British colony (British Guiana). It gained independence in 1966 and became a republic in 1970. The capital is Georgetown.

Geography includes a narrow Atlantic coast and an interior rainforest, crossed by major rivers such as the Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice. The economy has traditionally rested on sugar, rice, and bauxite, and in the 2010s discoveries of offshore oil spurred new economic growth.