Roughly the size of the UK, Guyana is bordered by Venezuela to the west, Suriname to the east, and overshadowed by Brazil to the south. Its northern coast abuts the Atlantic Ocean. The country's most prominent geological feature is the Guiana Shield, a vast crystalline upland north of the Río Solimões, the Amazon's major channel. From Mt Roraima (2772m/9092ft), on the Brazilian border, the shield recedes in steps all the way to the coast. Thick rainforest covers great chunks of the interior, though southwestern Guyana features extensive grassland. About 90% of the population lives on the agriculturally rich coastal plain.

Guyana's varied and spectacular wildlife includes brightly-plumed birds and mammals such as tapirs, ocelots and monkeys. The equatorial climate results in high temperatures, tempered by cooling sea breezes. There are two rainy seasons: from May to mid-August and from mid-November to mid-January.

The interior regions, which were never dominated by Europeans, retain some of the world's best remaining tropical forests, although these ecosystems are constantly threatened by both uncontrolled gold-mining and logging by multinational timber companies.

The US Trade and Development Agency and a US firm are conducting a feasibility study for a US$180,000 hydroelectric plant at Amaila Falls. The projected power plant, about 193km (120mi) north of Kaieteur Falls, would supply the national grid and other users with energy.

Budget travelers can get by on US$10 per day in Guyana; while those staying in more comfortable hotels and eating at restaurants should expect to spend around US$20-30 per day. A more upscale visit will require US$40 and upwards.

Cash and travelers' checks can be exchanged in banks and cambios. Banks are more bureaucratic and are generally open only on weekday mornings, while cambios keep longer hours. Sometimes you can change cash unofficially, at hotels for example, for the same rates that banks offer - there is no real black market. British pounds are widely accepted. Credit cards are accepted at Georgetown's better hotels and restaurants.

The best time to visit Guyana may be at the end of either rainy season, in late January or late August, when the discharge of water over Kaieteur Falls is greatest. Some locals recommend mid-October to mid-May, which may be wet, but not as hot. If you want to travel overland to the interior, come during the dry seasons.