The Five Guianas
by anthro.atlas
The colonial territories in the biogeographic area known as the Guiana Shield are referred to as the Guianas. In an indigenous South American language, the name Guyana or Guayana means “land of many waters.” In the fifteenth century, Europeans began to explore and eventually colonise the Guianas. With the exception of French Guiana, these territories are now sovereign. It should be noted that some sections in this region are disputed: part of Maripasoula between Guyana and French Guiana, lower East Berbice-Corentyne between Suriname and Guyana, and Guayana Esequiba between Venezuela and Guyana.