GUYANA'S RICH HISTORY

During the period of European colonization, the Guianas, which referred to a vast area in South America, comprising Dutch Guiana (present day Suriname), French Guiana (still a colony of France), British Guiana (present day Guyana) and Spanish Guiana (present day Venezuela) was famous for its immense wealth in the form of gold and other precious metals. The legendary city of El Dorado (the Golden One) was at first said to be located in New Granada (present day Colombia) before its location shifted to the Rupununi in British Guiana (present day Guyana).

The British explorer, Sir Walter Raleigh, reported that the Empire of Guiana contained cities where all the furnishings, ornaments, temples, armor and shields were made of pure gold and silver, and even the inhabitants’ bodies were decorated with a fine gold powder. This encouraged European exploration of the area and on their return to Europe, the explorers related stories of advanced civilizations and immense wealth. Ships returning from these lands were laden with gold and other precious metal.

GUYANA TODAY

Today, Guyana's main exports are sugar, gold, bauxite, shrimp, timber, and rice, which represent nearly 60% of the GDP. Gold is the largest export, with 500,000 ounces reported in 2021. This figure is far short of the real amount, since many operators and illegal miners do not declare their total output/production to the Gold Board. The purity of Guyanese minerals is unmatched. Guyana’s gold boasts a 95 – 98% purity, and our bauxite is also exceptionally rich in quality. Other mineral deposits include, but are not limited to manganese, copper, iron ore, tantalite, molybdenite (the source of molybdenum), nickel, white sand (used in glass manufacturing), kaolin (china clay), and graphite. Guyana is also blessed with significant deposits of diamonds and other precious stones.

Guyana's main biological resource consists of a wide variety of hardwoods. Foremost the greenheart tree, which is resistant to termites, decay, and marine erosion. In addition to this, Guyana produces virgin coconut oil, coconut water, rainforest honey and is famous for its vast array of tropical fruits, many of them marketed as superfoods. These including; moringa, sorrel, the famous Buxton Spice mango, five-finger also known as star fruit, cashew pear, pineapple, papaya, guava, pomegranate, avocado, mauby and the much sought after soursop, which is in high demand worldwide due to its many health benefits, including its use as a treatment in the fight against cancer.