History of Guyana in Timeline

Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a South American country on the northern coast, formerly part of the British West Indies. Its capital and largest city is Georgetown. Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Brazil, Venezuela, and Suriname, it's the third-smallest mainland South American nation and second-least populous. Guyana's official language is English, though many are bilingual with indigenous languages. Known for its high biodiversity, Guyana encompasses part of the Amazon rainforest.

1912: Inspiration for The Lost World

In 1912, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel "The Lost World" was said to have been inspired by Mount Roraima and Guyana's table-top mountains.

The Lost World

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1917: End of Indentured Contracts

In 1917, the system of Indian indenture contracts ended in Guyana, marking a significant shift in the labor force.

1962: Venezuela Resuscitates Claim to Disputed Territory

In 1962, Venezuelan President Rómulo Betancourt declared the 1899 arbitration award null and void, reviving Venezuela's claim to the disputed territory with Guyana.

1964: Previous Elections

The 5 October 1992 elections were the first Guyanese election since 1964 to be internationally recognised as free and fair

May 1966: Independence from the United Kingdom

On 26 May 1966, Guyana achieved independence from the United Kingdom as a dominion, marking a pivotal moment in its history.

October 1966: Venezuelan Troops Seized Ankoko Island

In October 1966, five months after Guyana's independence, Venezuelan troops crossed the international border and seized Ankoko Island, initiating a territorial dispute.

1966: Independence gained

In 1966, Guyana gained independence from British rule, marking a significant turning point in its history.

1966: 1966 agreement to resolve the dispute

In 1966, an agreement was made to resolve the Guyana–Venezuela territorial dispute effectively nullified the original arbitration. Venezuela argues that this agreement exists.

1966: Treaty of Geneva Signed

In 1966, the Treaty of Geneva was signed by the Governments of Guyana, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela regarding the disputed territory.

1967: Surinamese Survey Team Found in New River Triangle

In 1967, a Surinamese survey team was discovered in the New River Triangle and forcibly removed from the area.

August 1969: Guyana Defence Force Removes Surinamese from New River Triangle

In August 1969, the Guyana Defence Force found a Surinamese survey camp and airstrip in the New River Triangle, leading to an exchange of gunfire and the Surinamese being driven from the area.

February 1970: Guyana became a Republic

On 23 February 1970, Guyana became a republic while remaining a member of the Commonwealth.

1970: Republic within the Commonwealth

In 1970, Guyana officially became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations.

1975: Elected to UN Security Council

Guyana was elected as a member of the UN Security Council in 1975–76.

1978: Jonestown mass murder-suicide

In 1978, a total of 918 people died at the Jonestown mass murder-suicide led by American cult leader Jim Jones at a remote settlement in northwest Guyana.

1982: Elected to UN Security Council

Guyana was elected as a member of the UN Security Council in 1982–83.

1990: High Literacy Rate

In 1990, Guyana's estimated literacy rate was 96%, one of the highest in the Caribbean.

1991: Guyana Joins the Organisation of American States

In 1991, Guyana officially became a member of the Organisation of American States.

1991: Guyana Qualifies for Caribbean Cup

In 1991, Guyana's national football team qualified for the Caribbean Cup, finishing fourth in the competition.

July 1992: Tax Information Exchange Agreement with the United States

On July 22, 1992, Guyana signed a Tax Information Exchange Agreement with the United States of America in Georgetown, Guyana, intending to exchange tax information on an automatic basis.

October 1992: First Internationally Recognized Free and Fair Elections

On 5 October 1992, Guyana held its first internationally recognized free and fair elections since 1964, leading to Cheddi Jagan's election as president on 9 October 1992.

1992: First constitutional elections

In 1992, the first constitutional elections were overseen by former United States President Jimmy Carter.

August 1994: The Double Taxation Relief (CARICOM) Treaty 1994

On August 19, 1994, representatives of Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana signed The Double Taxation Relief (CARICOM) Treaty 1994 at a CARICOM Meeting.

1999: Debt Relief Plan

In 1999, Guyana received US$256 million from the original World Bank plan for assisting heavily indebted poor countries.

1999: NBAP Categorization

In 1999, the National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) categorized Guyana's habitats.

2002: Ethnic Group Statistics

According to the 2002 census, the largest ethnic group in Guyana is the Indo-Guyanese (43.5%), followed by the Afro-Guyanese (30.2%).

2003: Debt Relief Qualified

In 2003, Guyana qualified for US$329 million of debt relief.

2003: Public Procurement Commission Act

In 2003, the Public Procurement Commission Act was established to oversee public procurement in Guyana.

February 2004: Creation of Kanashen Community-Owned Conservation Area

In February 2004, the Government of Guyana issued a title to more than 4,000 km of land as the Kanashen Community-Owned Conservation Area, managed by the Wai Wai.

2006: Debt Relief Initiative

In 2006, the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative wrote off about US$611 million of Guyana's debt.

September 2007: UNCLOS Ruling on Maritime Dispute with Suriname

On September 21, 2007, a ruling was announced by the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea regarding the maritime component of the territorial dispute between Guyana and Suriname, finding both parties had violated treaty obligations.

2007: Guyana Hosts Cricket World Cup Matches

In 2007, Guyana hosted international cricket matches as part of the 2007 Cricket World Cup (CWC 2007) at the new Providence Stadium, which was ready by March 28.

2007: Guyana Qualifies for Caribbean Cup

In 2007, Guyana's national football team qualified for the Caribbean Cup.

2007: Debt Cancellation by China

In 2007, US$15 million of Guyana's debt was written off by China.

2007: Tax Code Overhaul with VAT

In early 2007, Guyana initiated a major overhaul of the tax code, replacing six different taxes with a Value Added Tax (VAT).

May 2008: Signed UNASUR treaty

In May 2008, President Bharrat Jagdeo signed the UNASUR Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations.

2008: Joined Union of South American Nations

In 2008, Guyana joined the Union of South American Nations as a founding member, strengthening its regional ties.

2008: Debt Cancellation by Venezuela

In 2008, Venezuela cancelled US$12.5 million of Guyana's debt.

2008: BBC Broadcast of Lost Land of the Jaguar

In 2008, the BBC broadcast a three-part program called "Lost Land of the Jaguar" showcasing Guyana's wildlife diversity.

2008: Economic Growth

In 2008, the economy witnessed a 3% increase in growth amid the global economic crisis.

2009: Collaboration with Norway

Since 2009, Guyana and Norway have collaborated to promote green development in Guyana while keeping deforestation at low levels.

2010: Treaty ratified

In 2010, the Guyanese government officially ratified the UNASUR Constitutive Treaty.

November 2011: General Elections

In the General Elections held on 28 November 2011, the People's Progressive Party (PPP) retained a majority, and their presidential candidate Donald Ramotar was elected as president.

2011: HIV Prevalence

According to 2011 estimates from the WHO, HIV prevalence is 1.2% of the teen/adult population (ages 15–49).

2011: Economic Growth

In 2011, Guyana's economy grew by 5.4%.

2012: Religious Composition

In 2012 the population was 63% Christian, 25% Hindu, 7% Muslim, 3% of other faiths, and 3% irreligious.

2012: Economic Growth

In 2012, Guyana's economy grew by 3.7%.

2012: Statistics of Suicide Rate

The statistics of the suicide rate from 2012 were used in the PAHO/WHO Global Health Report of 2014 to rank Guyana.

June 2014: FATCA Agreement with the United States

On June 30, 2014, Guyana signed a Model 1 agreement with the United States of America regarding the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).

2014: UNESCO Literacy Estimate

In a 2014 UNESCO estimate, Guyana's literacy rate is 96.7% in the 15–24 year old age group.

2014: Highest Suicide Rate

The PAHO/WHO Global Health Report 2014 (using statistics of 2012) ranked Guyana as having the highest suicide rate in the world, with a mortality rate of 44.2 per 100,000 inhabitants.

May 2015: Early General Elections and New President

In May 2015, early general elections were held, resulting in a coalition victory for the A Partnership for National Unity-Alliance for Change (APNU-AFC) parties. On 16 May 2015, David A. Granger became the President of Guyana.

2015: David A. Granger's Presidency Begins

In 2015, David A. Granger became the President of Guyana and expressed support for efforts to alter laws inherited from the British Empire.

2015: Gold Production

In 2015, Guyana's gold production was 14 metric tons.

2015: Discovery of Crude Oil

In 2015, the discovery of crude oil began a transformation of Guyana's economy.

2015: People's Progressive Party Lost Leadership

Until 2015, the People's Progressive Party led the country.

2016: Appointment of Public Procurement Commission

In 2016, the Public Procurement Commission was finally appointed in Guyana, following delays in identifying and agreeing on commission members.

2017: Poverty Line Statistics

In 2017, 41% of Guyana's population lived below the poverty line, highlighting economic challenges before the oil boom.

December 2018: Vote of Confidence and Political Defection

In December 2018, specifically on 21 December 2018, a vote of confidence regarding offshore oil exploration terms failed due to a legislator's defection, triggering the need for new elections.

2018: Vote of No Confidence

In 2018, Granger's government lost a vote of no confidence, which led to the snap elections in March 2020.

2018: Guyana Appeals to the International Court of Justice

In 2018, Guyana sought intervention from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to validate the 1899 border decision amidst the territorial dispute with Venezuela.

2018: Cross-dressing legalized

In 2018, a ban on cross-dressing was struck down by Guyana's court of last resort, the Caribbean Court of Justice.

2019: Drilling Began

In 2019 drilling began, the discovery of major crude oil reserves off the Atlantic coast has since made a large impact on Guyana's GDP

2019: Guyana Qualifies for CONCACAF Gold Cup

In 2019, Guyana qualified for the CONCACAF Gold Cup for the first time, finishing third in Group D.

2019: Guyana at the South American Beach Games

In 2019, Guyana was represented by a beach volleyball team at the South American Beach Games.

2019: Commercial Drilling

In 2019, commercial drilling of crude oil began in Guyana.

March 2020: Granger Loses Snap Elections

In March 2020, President David A. Granger narrowly lost the snap elections, following a vote of no confidence in 2018.

March 2020: New Elections Held

In March 2020, specifically on 2 March 2020, new elections were held in Guyana following a failed vote of confidence.

August 2020: Election Results Declared and New President Inaugurated

In August 2020, specifically on 3 August 2020, the results of the March elections were declared, with the People's Progressive Party/Civic as the winner, and Mohamed Irfaan Ali became the ninth President of Guyana.

2020: Life Expectancy

As of 2020, life expectancy at birth in Guyana is estimated to be 69.5 years.

2020: GDP grew sharply

GDP grew sharply (43%) through the COVID-19 pandemic year of 2020

2020: Projected Economic Growth

IMF projected economic growth to be 53% in 2020 following the completion of the first off-shore oil project. Actual growth in GDP in 2020 was 43%

2020: End of David A. Granger's Presidency

In 2020, David A. Granger's presidency concluded in Guyana.

April 2021: Anticipated Economic Growth

In April 2021, reports anticipate 20% growth for 2021

2021: Anticipated GDP growth

In 2021 GDP is anticipated to continue at a high level (estimated at 20%).

December 2023: Venezuelan Referendum and International Response

In December 2023, Venezuela held a referendum approving the creation of a new state in the disputed area with Guyana, leading to responses from Guyana's President Irfaan Ali, the US, and Brazil.

December 2023: Venezuelan Referendum on Essequibo

In December 2023, Venezuela held a referendum on annexing the disputed Essequibo region, passing with a 95% majority amidst concerns of war with Guyana.

2023: World Bank Report

According to the World Bank in 2023, significant poverty still exists in Guyana, and the country faces significant risks in structurally managing its growth.