Essequibo Islands-West Demerara – Islands at the mouth of the Essequibo
Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Region 3 of Guyana, combines the lands between the Essequibo and Demerara rivers with a group of islands near the mouth of the Essequibo. These islands played a role early in the colonial era: on Fort Island, the Dutch built Fort Zeelandia, whose remains still recall the times when the river was a key route for trade.
Today the region is the second smallest by area but the second most populous in Guyana, with around 144,000 people. Its capital, Vreed-en-Hoop, faces Georgetown across the Demerara River, and agriculture and livestock remain important. Do you know stories from the islands or villages along the rivers? Tell the community!