Guyana

Guyana achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1966 and since then has experimented with various forms of government but really voting takes places along ethnic lines in this country of a population of under one million. There are strong rifts between those of Indian descent and the descendants of former black slaves but Guyana is familiar to such troubles with its borders with Suriname in the south and Venezuela to the north almost seemingly in constant dispute. A largely agricultural economy, there is also mining but the a source of growth is eco-tourism given the country's wealth of virgin rainforest.