TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS


Roads

The main roads of the country are in the coastal area and extend through the towns and villages which lie in a narrow band not far from the ocean. An important exception is the highway which runs from Soesdyke, 21 miles from the capital, Georgetown, to the bauxite mining town of Linden, a distance of 44 miles. A road from Georgetown runs south to Soesdyke continuing to Timehri International Airport, about 27 miles from Georgetown. The highway from Guyana to Brazil is close to completion and would give Guyana a connection to the road networks of the continent.

Port Facilities

Rivers are a very important means of transportation particularly in the interior of Guyana. Guyana is served mainly by the Port of Georgetown which is located at the mouth of the Demerara River. The channel of the Georgetown Port is 220 feet wide and is clearly marked. The depth of the water in the navigable section varies from 22 feet to 30 feet. Another important port is the port at the town of Linden on the Demerara River which serves as a transit point for bauxite products from the Demerara region.Other main waterways used for coastal and river shipping are the Berbice, Canje, Corentyne, Essequibo, Pomeroon, and Waini rivers.

Air Travel

Guyana AirwaysAir communications now forms the main link with the interior of Guyana. There are about 94 airstrips, most of which are located in the interior and cater to light aircraft. An airstrip at Ogle, about 20 minutes by car from the center of Georgetown, is used primarily for travel between the capital and interior destinations. Guyana Airways Corporation (GAC) operates regular scheduled international flights to the United States of America (Miami and New York), Canada, Curacao, Brazil, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago (The picture shows passengers disembarking a Guyana Airways Boeing 757 jet at Timehri International).Other major airlines servicing Guyana are ALM, BWIA, LIAT and Suriname Airways (SLM).



Telecommunications

International telecommunications services are provided by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GT&T).