The Rupununi savannah is a savanna plain in Guyana located between the Rupununi River and the Brazilian border, in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region. It is dissected by the Kanuku Mountains.
The savannah is teaming with wildlife, including a large variety of bird species, the jaguar roams in the hills while the harpy eagle flies overhead. The region usually floods in the wet season (May - August).
There are Amerindian villages dotted throughout, as well as many ranches worked by vaqueros (cowboys), some of whom are descendants of 19th century Scottish settlers. The main town is Lethem, located beside the Takutu River, the border with Brazil. Owing to the savanna's remoteness from the rest of the country most trade is conducted with Brazil and most people speak a little Portuguese.
In 1969 some ranchers started what has been referred to as the Rupununi Uprising. The revolt was quelled within a few days.
Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia © 2001-2006 Wikipedia
contributors (Disclaimer)
This article is licensed under the GNU
Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Monday September 24, 2007 at 05:23:47 PDT (GMT -0700)
View
this article at Wikipedia.org - Edit
this article at Wikipedia.org - Donate
to the Wikimedia Foundation