1.0
Introduction
The coastal area of
Guyana is home to over 90% of the country's population. It has a total
area of 16,800km2 , approximately 7% of the total area of Guyana.
It has a population of about 700, 500 people, giving the coast a population
density of 41.7 people per km2. The coast is the administrative
and agricultural centre for the country, and also a significant area for
environmental concern.
1.1
The geography of the coast
The coast itself is
under sea level by about 2 metres. The flat narrow strip along the Atlantic
coast was built up from centuries of sediment accumulation from the large South
American rivers. This action has
given rise to the fluvial soil type, which is mostly clay of varying
properties along the coast. Today the processes of accretion and erosion
are still very active. While the coast along the ocean is mostly clay,
there are sections that are sandy, particularly near the river mouths and along
some river banks.
Examples can be seen in plates 1- 2. Mud flats off the shore is a common
feature along the coast as it travels along the Guiana coast, see plate
3.
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| Plate
1. Essequibo river bank, Suddie |
Plate
2. Essequibo coast. An eroding coastline |
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| Plate
3. Essequibo Coast Charity - A mud coast, also home to Flamingoes |
1.2
Vegetation and wildlife
Much of the original
vegetation of the coast has been removed during the activities of colonizers
who cleared and filled the swampy land to make it suitable for cultivation.
However, today several species of mangrove still abound as well as hardy wild
plants abound, such as those commonly known as Carrion crow Bush, Black and
Sweet Sage bushes are
just a few, in addition there are various trees that are both indigenous
and introduced.
Common wildlife on the
coast include birds such as parrots, eagrets, herons, hawks, kiskadees,
crows, sparrows, as well as Flamingoes in the wilder regions, mainly Essequibo. Reptiles include
sea turtles, alligators, land and water snakes,
as well as various species of lizards including the iguana. Numerous species of freshwater and
saltwater fish abound, wild mammals such as the mongoose, coney, and monkeys
exist in varying numbers.
1.3
Urban centres
The two major towns
on the coast are Georgetown and New Amsterdam, Georgetown being the capital
city is the largest. Its expansion and development has its
several implications for the coastal environment such as land use conflicts,
mangrove destruction, coastal areas and mangrove stands in some places
are now plagued with illegal dumping, particularly old tyres
and lumber yard waste.
See
Urban environment.
1.4 Environmental Issues
Concern over the sea defences is always on the local agenda. The diminishing
mangrove population along the coast, decreases the natural defences of the
coastline against wave action, erosion and flooding. Apart from this mangroves
also have ecological benefits for local aquatic life and spin off benefits for
local fishery.
There are threats to these mangrove forests however. Local people use them
for leather tanning, as the
mangrove trees have the desirable tannins, and to a lesser extent for fuel, but this thankfully is not
very widespread.
1.5 Other activities
In addition to being used as an area for agriculture,
commerce and industry, the coast also has recreational uses. The seawall
that protects it is a popular destination for exercise
and leisure, see plate 4. It is also a location of historical value where
most of the country's historical artifacts are kept in various museums
and archives, also many of the country's remaining colonial structures
are also located on the coast.
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| Plate 4. A view of the
seawall along the East Coast Highway |
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