COUNTRY PROFILE

Guyana Flag, Capital and Country Facts

Guyana is located on the Atlantic coast of South America and connects a narrow populated coastal zone with an extensive forested hinterland. English as an official language distinguishes it from many neighboring states. The capital, Georgetown, is located on the Demerara. Those who confuse Guyana with French Guiana overlook an independent state with British colonial history and close ties to the Caribbean.

Test your knowledge →

Guyana Flag: Meaning & Country Facts · supplied learning collection

Guyana at a glance

Capital: Georgetown
Quiz continent: South America
Languages in reference record: English; Guyanese Creole and indigenous languages
Currency: Guiana dollar (GYD)
Population: 835,986 (2025, World Bank)
Area: 214,969 km²
Coastal setting: Not landlocked
ISO codes: GY / GUY
Internet country suffix: .gy

Independence: 26 May 1966
Republic since: 23 February 1970
Capital river: Demera
River near Kaieteur: Potaros
Flag byname: Golden arrowhead
Waterfall height: Kaieteur: about 226 m free drop height

Guyana Flag: Design, Meaning and History

The flag shows a long yellow arrowhead on a green background, extending from the left edge to the right. A narrow white line separates yellow from green. On the left is a shorter red triangle with a black border. The two triangles act as arrow shapes inserted into each other and are the most important distinguishing feature.

The motif is known as the “Golden Arrowhead”. Green is associated with forests, gold with mineral resources and white with the waters. In the traditional interpretation, red stands for operational readiness, black for endurance. The flag, which has been used since independence in 1966, differs from Timor-Leste’s similar triangular composition due to the additional white and black border.

Capital: Georgetown

Georgetown is located at the mouth of the Demerara River into the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is a port, administrative headquarters and a center of the narrow coastal zone where a large part of the population lives. Its location explains the importance of drainage and coastal protection in a very shallow landscape directly on the sea.

The city has traces of Dutch and British colonial history. Its current name is reminiscent of the British King George III. Water trenches, coastal installations and wooden historical buildings are part of the special urban design. Georgetown thus stands for a different landscape than the table mountains and waterfalls with which the interior is often depicted.

Practise this capital →

Guyana: Geography, History and Culture

The coastal plain passes south into forest areas, highlands and savannahs. The landscape of the Guayana Shield extends across several state borders. In the border area, the Roraima rises as a striking table mountain. There are significant differences in accessibility, settlement and natural habitats between shallow coastal areas and remote highland areas.

The country’s population and culture have been shaped by indigenous communities, African enslavement, Indian contract work and further migration. English is an official language, while Creole and indigenous languages form their own everyday and cultural contexts. Geographical affiliation with South America and close social ties with the Caribbean region complement each other, rather than excluding each other.

The Kaieteur waterfall is located on the Potaro in the wooded interior. The state tourism organization calls a free drop height of 741 feet, about 226 meters. Especially the contrast to Georgetown is instructive: The capital is located on a wide river mouth in the lowlands, while Kaieteur makes an abrupt jump of the highlands visible. Mining and forest protection also touch these different landscapes.

Kaieteur at the Potaro

The famous waterfall is located in a national park inland. Its large free fall stage is surrounded by rainforest and differs from urban coastal landscapes.

Caribbean compounds

Guyana is located on the South American mainland. Language and colonial history at the same time connect it closely with many English-speaking Caribbean states.