Balkaran, Lal

Geography of Guyana - Part 3 of 4 - The Forest Region - YouTube Video

The Highland or Forest Region – Geography of Guyana - Series 3
A Documentary by Lal Balkaran
This is the third of a four-part documentary on the Geography of Guyana in text and pictures that focusses on the third natural region known as the Highland or Forest Region. It is close to 24 minutes of viewing and consists of over 200 lines of text, almost 70 photographs, some of which are indeed stunning and taken by the author himself, and eight maps. The documentary profiles and captures the way to look at this region – both physical, political, economic, cultural, and human.
Included in the documentary are photos of the forest itself, major waterfalls, mountains, rivers, minerals, and the 547-km Georgetown-Lethem Road.
The Region covers eighty per cent of the country and the forests stretch the country’s length from the Amakura River on the Venezuelan border on the Northwest all the way Southeast to the Kutari River on the Suriname border.
The forests are continuous with those of the Amazon and they contain an abundance of mineral and forestry wealth. The Region is also the source of the major rivers – Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice. Over 1000 tree species, 900 species of birds, 225 species of mammals, and almost 900 species of reptiles can be found in these forests. The forest is not homogeneous. Rather, it is made up of varying forest types which are linked to the soil it grows and the dominant species of wood located within. E.g. the Greenheart Forest, Mora Forest, Bulletwood Forest (from which balata is obtained), etc.
These forests are largely untouched with untold wonders, breathtaking landscapes, and myriad range of biodiversity. Almost 160 scenic mountains and mountain ranges are found in the Highland Region – Imataka, Pakaraima, Iwokrama, Kanuku, Acarai, and Ayanganna, to name a few. In addition, there are close to 280 waterfalls including the world-renowned Kaieteur and such spectacular falls as Maikwak, Kumara and Maipuri.
Thirty known minerals have so far been found in the Region but by far the two most extensively mined are gold and diamond whose export value is equivalent to the combined value of the country’s traditional exports of bauxite, sugar, and rice. Gold was first discovered in the Yuruari river, a tributary of the Upper Cuyuni in 1857. Later diamonds were discovered and ‘pork-knocking’ took off, especially in 1902 and thereafter. Pork-knockers are prospectors panning for alluvial gold and diamonds as well as precious metals in the Highland Region. The rest of minerals in the Region include: amethyst, agate, barite, beryl, cassiterite, chromium, copper, diorite, feldspar, garnet, iron, jasper, kyanite, merumite, mica, molybdenum, nickel, quartz crystal, radioactive elements (uranite), rare earth elements (niobium), sphalerite, tantalite, titanium, topaz, and zircon.
Key places in the region include:
Amalia Falls, Apoteri, Imbaimadai, Iwokrama, Kaieteur, Kamarang, Kanuku, Konashen, Kurupung, Kurupukari, Mabura Hill, Mahdia, Masekenari (Wai-Wai village), Matthews Ridge, Mt. Ayanganna, Mt Roraima, Omai, and Potaro Landing.
The Amerindian tribes that mainly dwell in the Region are the Ackawaois, Arekuna, Carib, Makushi, Patamona, and Wai-Wai (or ‘tapioca’ people) in the deep south.
Key economic activities in the Region include air transport, mining, eco-tourism, quarrying, forestry products, wildlife export, and some agriculture.
Relax, enjoy, and learn so much more about the largest natural region of Guyana – the Highland or Forest Region – in this well-researched and carefully put together 24-minute documentary.