Barima-Waini

Barima-Waini
Administrative Region
Map of Guyana showing Barima-Waini region
Country	Guyana
Regional Capital	Mabaruma
Area
• Total	20,399 km2 (7,876 sq mi)
Population (2002)[1]
• Total	24,275
• Density	1.2/km2 (3.1/sq mi)
[2]

Barima-Waini (Region One) is an administrative region of Guyana, which is located in the northwest of the country. It covers an area of 20,339 km². It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the north, the region of Pomeroon-Supenaam to the east, the region of Cuyuni-Mazaruni to the south and Venezuela to the west.^[2]

History

Prior to the 1980 administrative reform in Guyana, the Barima-Waini Region was known as the 'North West district'.^{[citation needed]}

Mabaruma became the administrative centre when it was decided that the former centre, Morawhanna, was too susceptible to flooding. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, serious consideration was once given to moving the capital of Guyana to this area.^{[citation needed]}

Geography

Barima-Waini is a heavily forested region. The Atlantic coastal strip of Region One features a number of beaches, including, from west to east, Almond Beach, Luri Beach, Shell Beach, Turtle Beach, Foxes Beach, Iron-punt Beach, Pawpaw Beach and Father's Beach. Marine turtles nest on some of these beaches. There are also a number of Amerindian communities in this area, including Santa Rosa Mission.

Economy

The main economic activities in the Barima-Waini region are forestry and gold mining.^[2] The northern and northeastern sections include thousands of acres of rich alluvial soil, of which its main crops include coffee, ground provisions (such as cassava, eddoes and yams), cabbage, beans, corn, peanuts, and citrus fruits. (This is the area which supplies the famous Pomeroon casareep).

The Matthews Ridge-Port Kaituma manganese industry was discontinued when falling world prices made it uneconomical to continue.

Major Settlements, Services and Facilities

Major settlements include Mabaruma (the regional capital), Port Kaituma, Matthew's Ridge, Morawhanna, Towakaima, Koriabo, Hosororo, Arakaka and Moruca. Barima and Waini are the names of two of the rivers that flow through the region.

The region has two secondary schools, North West Secondary School in Mabaruma, established in 1965, and Santa Rosa Secondary School, established in 1992.

Population

The Government of Guyana has administered three official censuses since the 1980 administrative reforms, in 1980, 1991 and 2002.^[3] In 2002, the population of Barima-Waini was recorded at 24,275 people.^[1] Official census records for the population of Barima-Waini are as follows:

• 2002 : 24,275
• 1991 : 18,428
• 1980 : 18,329

Communities

(including name variants):

See also

• Ankoko Island

References

v t e Regions of Guyana Barima-Waini Pomeroon-Supenaam Essequibo Islands-West Demerara Demerara-Mahaica Mahaica-Berbice East Berbice-Corentyne Cuyuni-Mazaruni Potaro-Siparuni Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Upper Demerara-Berbice

Coordinates: 7°40′01″N 59°45′00″W / 7.667°N 59.750°W / 7.667; -59.750