Once called the Longchamps by the French and 
Stabroek by the Dutch, Georgetown is the name
finally settled upon by the British for the capital 
of the South American territory of Guyana in 1812. 

Set on the east bank of the Demerara estuary, 
this charming colonial settlement has a population 
of about 200,000 and is Guyana 's most important 
city. Here you'll find the seat of government, the 
chief port and main commercial centre and markets. 

A long dyke called the Seawall and a geometric 
system of streets divided by canals and regulated 
by sluice gates - all built by the Dutch to control 
sea flooding - gives Georgetown its distinctive 
Dutch character. The Seawall is now a favourite 
folk to walk and unwind in the afternoons, just 
relaxing or jogging. 

It is a city full of historical monuments, many 
of them gracious colonial buildings that are 
still used today for practical purposes such as 
the City Hall, the Magistrate's Court and the 
gothic St. George's Cathedral, reputedly the
tallest wooden structure in the world, to name 
a few. With the profusion of flowering plants 
and trees abound, plus several well-maintained 
gardens around the city such as the botanical 
and zoological gardens, Georgetown has 
attracted the moniker of "Garden City of the 
Caribbean ".