The Guianas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Guyanas or the Guianas (in Spanish: Guayanas) refers to a region in north-eastern South America which includes the following three territories:

• French Guiana, an overseas department of France;
• Guyana, known as British Guiana from 1831 until 1966, after the colonies of Berbice, Essequibo, and Demerara taken from the Netherlands in 1814 were merged into a single colony;
• Suriname, until 1814 a part of Dutch Guiana, together with Berbice, Essequibo, and Demerara;

Some also consider the region to contain:

• The Guayana Region, formerly the Guayana Province, in south-east Venezuela.

Historically the following adjacent area was also included in the Guianas:

• Portuguese Guiana (Brazilian Guiana), in north-west Brazil, originally part of the Portuguese Empire;