Barima-Waini (Region 1) is a

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...

Guyana Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

claims the territory as part of

Guayana Esequiba (), sometimes also called or Essequibo, is a disputed territory of west of the Essequibo River that is administered and controlled by Guyana but claimed by Venezuela.

. The region is located in the northwest of the country and has a population of 26,941. It covers an area of . It borders the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

to the north, the region of

Pomeroon-Supenaam Pomeroon-Supenaam (Region 2) is a Regions of Guyana, region of Guyana. Venezuela claims the territory as part of Guayana Esequiba. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the north, the region of Essequibo Islands-West Demerara to the east, the region ...

to the east, the region of

Cuyuni-Mazaruni Cuyuni-Mazaruni (Region 7) is a region of Guyana. Venezuela claims the territory as part of Guayana Esequiba. It borders the regions of Barima-Waini, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara and Pomeroon-Supenaam to the north, the region of Upper De ...

to the south and

to the west. Barima-Waini has three sub-regions: Mabaruma, Matakai, and Moruca.

History

Prior to the 1980 administrative reform in Guyana, the Barima-Waini Region was known as the 'North West district'. Mabaruma became the administrative centre when it was decided that the former centre, Morawhanna, was too susceptible to flooding.

Etymology

The region is named after two rivers that flow through the region: the

Barima River The Barima River is a tributary of the Orinoco River, entering from the Atlantic Ocean. It originates from the Imataka Mountains in Guyana, flowing for approximately before entering Venezuela about from its mouth. Features Early recorded exp ...

and the Waini River.

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 Santa Rosa is a community in the Barima-Waini region of northern Guyana. Santa Rosa mission was established in 1840, and is one of the earliest Catholic Missions in Guyana. The village is part of the North West Amerindian District. Overview The ...

Economy

The main economic activities in the Barima-Waini region are forestry and gold mining. The northern and northeastern sections include thousands of acres of rich alluvial soil, whose main crops include coffee, ground provisions (such as

cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', commonly called cassava (), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively cultivated ...

, eddoes and yams), cabbage, beans, corn, peanuts, and citrus fruits. (This is the area which supplies the famous Pomeroon cassareep.) The Matthews Ridge-Port Kaituma

manganese Manganese is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is a hard, brittle, silvery metal, often found in minerals in combination with iron. Manganese is a transition metal with a multifaceted array of ...

industry was discontinued in 1968 when falling world prices made it uneconomical to continue. Mining was resumed as of 2011.

Major settlements, services and facilities

The Mabaruma sub-region includes the region's capital of Mabaruma, as well as Barabina,

Hosororo Hosororo is a community in the Barima-Waini region of northern Guyana, on the west bank of the Aruka River, from the river's mouth, and three miles from Mabaruma. It is known for its production of organic cocoa and is home to a nursery and prop ...

, Wauna, Kumaka, White Water and Kamwatta. Moruca sub-region includes Waramuri, Warapoka, Santa Cruz, Kokerite, Chinese Landing, Kwebena and Santa Rosa, and Haimacabra. Matakai sub-region includes Sebai,

Port Kaituma Port Kaituma is a small village within the Barima-Waini administrative region of Guyana. It became known internationally as a gateway village to the Peoples Temple settlement in nearby Jonestown. It has long been a hub for mining in the area. ...

Matthew's Ridge Matthews Ridge is a small village within the Barima-Waini administrative region of Guyana. The village name comes from the name of a public official, Matthew Young, as well as the ridges in the area. The village is divided into three sections, He ...

Baramita Baramita, is a community in the Barima-Waini region of northern Guyana, standing about 20 miles west of Matthew's Ridge, at an altitude of 99 metres (328 feet). It is one of the largest Amerindian settlements in the country. It is inhabited by t ...

Arakaka Arakaka is a community in the Barima-Waini region of Guyana, standing on the Barima River and 12 miles southerly of Port Kaituma, at an altitude of 63 metres (209 feet). It is the centre of the gold-bearing district, featuring lateritic ...

, and Morawhanna. The region has two secondary schools,

North West Secondary School North West Secondary School is a secondary school in Mabaruma, capital town of the Barima-Waini region in northern Guyana. The school was established in 1965, being the only secondary school in the region until the establishment of Santa Rosa sch ...

in Mabaruma, established in 1965, and

Santa Rosa Secondary School Santa Rosa Secondary School is a secondary school in Santa Rosa, in the Barima-Waini region of northern Guyana. The school was established in 1991, making it the second secondary school in the area after the establishment of North West Secondary ...

, established in 1992.

Population

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

Communities

Communities (including name variants): * Akwero (Acquero, Aqueero) *

Assakata Assakata or Asakata is a village in Barima-Waini region, in the north of Guyana. Assakata is an Amerindian village inhabited by Warao and Arawak people, located in the swamps and marshes between the Barima and Pomeroon River. History Assakata ...

* Baramani (Baramanna, Baramanni, Barimanni) *

*Chinese Landing *Five Star (Five Star Landing, Five Stars) * Hobediah *

(Hossororo) * Kamwatta Hill * Kokerite (Kokerit Landing, Kokerit) * Koriabo * Kumaka * Kwebanna (Kwabanna) *

Mabaruma Mabaruma is the administrative centre for Region One (Barima-Waini) of Guyana. It is located close to the Aruka River (the Venezuelan border) on a narrow plateau above the surrounding rainforest at an elevation of 13 metres. History Mabaruma was ...

(administrative centre) *

*Mission Landing * Morawhanna * Mount Everard *Pakera *

*Saint Bede's Mission (Saint Bedes) * Santa Cruz *

Santa Rosa Santa Rosa is the Italian, Portuguese and Spanish name for Saint Rose. Santa Rosa may also refer to: Places Argentina * Santa Rosa, Mendoza, a city * Santa Rosa, Tinogasta, Catamarca * Santa Rosa, Valle Viejo, Catamarca *Santa Rosa, La Pampa * S ...

(Santa Rosa Mission) *Surprise Hill * Waramuri (Waramuri Mission) *Wauna (Wauna-Yarikita) *

Whitewater Whitewater forms in a rapid context, in particular, when a river's gradient changes enough to generate so much turbulence that air is trapped within the water. This forms an unstable current that froths, making the water appear opaque and ...

Gallery

Coconut Trees on the Shell Beach - panoramio.jpg, Shell Beach Mabaruma Guyana Almond Beach House.JPG, Mabaruma Continuing Promise in Guyana DVIDS130400.jpg, Santa Rosa School 99 Turns of Dark Bush - Moruca to Baramani - panoramio.jpg, Baramani River Continuing Promise in Guyana DVIDS130397.jpg, Kumaka District Hospital

References

{{Coord, 7.667, N, 59.750, W, display=title, source:dewiki_region:GY-BA Regions of Guyana States and territories established in 1980