Guyana is in South America, not North America. It sits on the northern (northeastern) coast of the South American continent, facing the Atlantic Ocean. The confusion is understandable because Guyana feels so Caribbean in its language, food, and culture, but geographically it is firmly part of the South American mainland, sharing land borders with Venezuela, Brazil, and Suriname.
The short answer: South America
Guyana is one of the twelve sovereign nations of the South American continent. It occupies the continent's northeastern shoulder, wedged between Venezuela to the west, Brazil to the south and southwest, and Suriname to the east. Its capital, Georgetown, sits on the Atlantic coast just a few degrees north of the equator.
At roughly 214,969 km², Guyana is one of the smaller countries in South America by area, larger than Suriname but far smaller than its giant neighbors Brazil and Venezuela. With a population of only about 800,000 people, it is also one of the least densely populated nations on the continent, since most of its interior is uninhabited rainforest. For more on the country itself, see our guyana country guide.
Why so many people think Guyana might be in North America
The mix-up almost always comes down to culture rather than geography. Guyana is the only English-speaking country on the South American mainland, a legacy of British colonial rule (it was once called British Guiana). That alone sets it apart from its Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking neighbors and makes it feel more connected to the wider English-speaking Caribbean and North Atlantic world.
Several factors reinforce the impression that Guyana belongs with the Caribbean or North America:
- It is a member of CARICOM, the Caribbean Community, and its political and trade ties lean toward the islands.
- Its national cricket team competes as part of the West Indies, alongside Jamaica, Trinidad, and Barbados.
- Its cuisine, music, and festivals share far more with Trinidad and Jamaica than with Brazil or Venezuela.
- It faces the Caribbean-influenced Atlantic and lies entirely north of the equator, so it never "feels" like the Southern Hemisphere.
Despite all of this cultural overlap, none of it changes the physical fact: Guyana stands on continental South American bedrock, not on a Caribbean island and not in North America.
Where exactly Guyana sits on the map
Guyana lies between roughly 1 and 9 degrees north latitude and 57 to 61 degrees west longitude. Its entire northern edge is Atlantic coastline, while its southern and western boundaries run deep into the continental interior along rivers and mountain ranges shared with Brazil and Venezuela. The Essequibo River, the country's longest, drains a vast swath of the territory before reaching the Atlantic.
The land itself divides into three broad zones. A narrow, low coastal plain holds Georgetown and the overwhelming majority of the population; much of it actually sits below sea level and is protected by seawalls and drainage canals. Behind the coast, dense tropical rainforest blankets roughly 80 percent of the country. In the far south and west lie open savanna grasslands and the dramatic Pakaraima Mountains, home to flat-topped sandstone tepuis that inspired Arthur Conan Doyle's novel The Lost World.
Natural landmarks that anchor it to the continent
Guyana's most famous landmark, Kaieteur Falls on the Potaro River, is a single uninterrupted drop of about 226 meters, several times higher than Niagara and one of the most powerful waterfalls on Earth. It sits deep in the continental interior, surrounded by some of the most pristine and least-explored rainforest anywhere in the tropics.
That interior is unmistakably part of the Guiana Shield, an ancient geological formation that also underlies parts of Venezuela, Brazil, Suriname, and French Guiana. Geographers group these "Guianas" together precisely because they form a coherent northeastern corner of South America, far from any North American landmass. Guyana also has a long-standing border dispute with Venezuela over the Essequibo region, a reminder that its land frontiers are entirely with other South American states.
Quick facts about Guyana
- Continent: South America (northeastern coast)
- Capital: Georgetown
- Area: approximately 214,969 km²
- Population: approximately 800,000
- Official language: English
- Land borders: Venezuela, Brazil, Suriname
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Guyana part of the Caribbean?
Culturally and politically, yes. Guyana is a full member of CARICOM and is often counted as part of the "Caribbean" in a cultural sense. Geographically, however, it is a mainland South American country, not an island in the Caribbean Sea.
Is Guyana in Central America?
No. Central America is the narrow isthmus connecting North and South America, containing countries such as Panama, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. Guyana is on the South American mainland, well to the southeast of that region.
What continent is Guyana on?
Guyana is on the continent of South America. It is one of only three sovereign Guianas-region territories, and the only independent English-speaking country on the South American mainland.
What countries border Guyana?
Guyana shares land borders with three South American nations: Venezuela to the west, Brazil to the south and southwest, and Suriname to the east. The Atlantic Ocean forms its entire northern boundary.