Upon independence from Britain on May 26, 1966, the flag was first hoisted. The green stands for jungles and fields, white suggests the rivers which are the basis for the Indian word guiana ("land of waters"), red is for zeal and sacrifice in nation-building, and black is for perseverance. The gold represents the indigenous population as well as the nation's mineral resources. The flag is nicknamed "The Golden Arrowhead."

Guyana Official name: Co-operative Republic of Guyana. Form of government: unitary multiparty republic with one legislative house (National Assembly [65]). Head of state and government: President. Population (1998): 782,000. Population projection: (2000) 787,000; (2010) 803,000. Land use (1994): forested 83.8%; meadows and pastures 6.3%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 2.5%; other 7.4%. Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1996): 9.5 (world avg. 9.3). Gross national product (1996): U.S.$582,000,000 (U.S.$690 per capita).

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