Wikipedia

Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Upper Takutu-Upper Esequibo (Region 9) is an administrative region of Guyana. Located along the Guyana's border with Brazil, it is spread over an area of 57,750 km2 (22,300 sq mi). As per the 2022 census, it had a population of 29,944 inhabitants. The region largely consists of elevated terrain such as the Kanuku and Kamoa highlands, forests, and Rupununi savannah. The economy is dependent on livestock rearing, mining of semi-precious stones, and agriculture.

Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo
Region 9
Administrative Region
Flag of Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo
Flag
Map of Guyana showing Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region
Map of Guyana showing Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region
CountryGuyana
CapitalLethem
Area
 • Total
57,750 km2 (22,300 sq mi)
Population
 (2022 census)
 • Total
29,944
 • Density0.5185/km2 (1.343/sq mi)

Geography

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Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region 9) is one of the ten administrative regions of Guyana.[1][2][3] It is located along the international border with Brazil, which is situated to its west and south.[2] It is spread over an area of 57,750 km2 (22,300 sq mi), and is the largest of the ten regions of Guyana by area.[1] Its capital is at Lethem.[4]: 4 

The region largely consists of elevated terrain such as the Kanuku and Kamoa highlands, forests, and Rupununi savannah.[2][4]: 4  The Kanuku mountains divide the region into roughly two parts consisting of savannahs on either side of it.[4]: 4  The Rupununi savannah and wetlands are watered by South America’s largest rivers–Amazon and Essequibo, and supports a wide range of wildlife including several endangered species.[5][4]: 4  The region has about 4.5 million hectares of forested area, covering almost 80% of its land area.[6]

Located at an elevation of 384.51 m (1,261.5 ft) above sea level, the district has a tropical rainforest climate (Koppen Classification: Af). The average annual temperature is 29.22 °C (84.60 °F). The district receives an average annual rainfall of 8.1 cm (3.2 in) and has 149.2 average rainy days in a year.[7]

Dispute with Venezuela

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Venezuela claims the Essequibo region, which is situated west of the Essequibo River, as a part of its territory.[8] The status of the border controversy is subject to the Geneva Agreement, which was signed by the United Kingdom, Venezuela and British Guiana on 17 February 1966. As of December 2020, the matter is being addressed by the International Court of Justice.[9]

Economy

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The economy is dependent on livestock rearing, mining of semi-precious stones, and agriculture.[2][4]: 4  Major agricultural produce include tobacco, rice, and peanuts.[2] The Rupununi savannah is known as "cattle country", due to the large scale cattle farming for dairy and meat. The beef is exported to Brazil. Semiprecious stones are mined in the foothills of the Kamoa and Marundi mountains.[4]: 4 

Demographics

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As per the official census in 1980, the region had a population of 12,873 inhabitants. It increased to 15,058 and 19,387 in the 1991 and 2002 census respectively. As per the 2022 census, it had a population of 29,944 inhabitants.[1][10][11] The Rupununi is home to several Indigenous communities.[5]

Communities

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List of communities:[12]

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 "Guyana, administrative divisions". City Population.de. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Region 9". Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
  3. ↑ "Administrative Regions - 7, 8 and 9". Macmillan Junior Atlas: Guyana. Oxford: Macmillan Publishers. 2009. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-333-93417-3.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo. UNICEF (Report). Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo". Conservation International. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  6. ↑ "Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo". Global Forest Watch. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  7. ↑ "Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo". Weather and Climate. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "Official Announcements" (in Spanish). Ministerio del Poder Popular para Relaciones Exteriores, Venezuela. Archived from the original on 8 September 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  9. ↑ "Summary of the Judgement of 18 December 2020" (PDF). International Court of Justice. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  10. ↑ "Chapter 3: National Redistribution and Internal Migration". 2002 Population and Housing Census - Guyana National Report (PDF) (Report). Bureau of Statistics, Guyana. 19 September 2007. p. 51. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  11. ↑ Guyana National Population and Housing Census, 2022 (PDF) (Report). Bureau of Statistics, Guyana. p. 8. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  12. ↑ "2012 Population by Village". Statistics Guyana. Retrieved 8 December 2021.

2°54′04″N 58°56′07″W / 2.900996°N 58.93517°W / 2.900996; -58.93517

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