Rupununi
Encyclopedia
Rupununi is a river
and region in southern Guyana
, South America
, originating in the Kanuku Mountains
. The Rupununi River runs from near the Brazilian border into the Essequibo River
. The river during the flood season actually shares a watershed with the Amazon. During the rainy season it is connected to the Takutu River
by the flooded Pirara Creek, draining the vast swamps of the Parima or Amaku Lake.
The Rupununi region is mostly made up of savanna
h, the Rupununi savannah
, but contains rainforest
habitat also.
There are several indigenous peoples
living in the area, including the Wapishana
, the Macushi
, and the Wai-Wai
.
The region consists of a tropical rainforest
and a savanna
h and is known for its great diversity of fresh water fish and intact ecosystems that harbor many species extirpated
from other areas of South America
. Peanut production
plays an important role in the regional economy.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
and region in southern Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, originating in the Kanuku Mountains
Kanuku Mountains
The Kanuku Mountains are a group of mountains in Guyana, located in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region. The name means 'forest' in the Wapishana language, a reference to the rich diversity of wildlife found there...
. The Rupununi River runs from near the Brazilian border into the Essequibo River
Essequibo River
The Esequibo River is the largest river in Guyana, and the largest river between the Orinoco and Amazon. Rising in the Acarai Mountains near the Brazil-Guyana border, the Essequibo flows to the north for 1,010 km through forest and savanna into the Atlantic Ocean.-Geography:There are countless...
. The river during the flood season actually shares a watershed with the Amazon. During the rainy season it is connected to the Takutu River
Takutu River
The Takutu River is a river in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Region of Guyana. It forms part of the boundary with Brazil, and is a tributary of the Branco River...
by the flooded Pirara Creek, draining the vast swamps of the Parima or Amaku Lake.
The Rupununi region is mostly made up of savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
h, the Rupununi savannah
Rupununi savannah
The Rupununi savannah is a savanna plain in Guyana, in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region. It is an ecoregion of the Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands Biome.-Description:...
, but contains rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
habitat also.
There are several indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
living in the area, including the Wapishana
Wapishana
The Wapishana are an indigenous group found in the Roraima area of southern Guyana and northern Brazil....
, the Macushi
Macushi
The Macuxi are an ethnic group of southern Guyana and northern Brazil. There are approximately 15,000 Macushi speakers in Brazil and 9,000 in Guyana.-Origins:...
, and the Wai-Wai
Wai-Wai people
The Wai-wai are an ethnic group of Guyana and northern Brazil.The Wai-wai in Guyana live in the far south of the country, near the headwaters of the Essequibo River. There are approximately 200 Wai-wai in Guyana and 2000 in Brazil...
.
The region consists of a tropical rainforest
Tropical rainforest
A tropical rainforest is an ecosystem type that occurs roughly within the latitudes 28 degrees north or south of the equator . This ecosystem experiences high average temperatures and a significant amount of rainfall...
and a savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
h and is known for its great diversity of fresh water fish and intact ecosystems that harbor many species extirpated
Local extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, is the condition of a species which ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere...
from other areas of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. Peanut production
Peanut production in Guyana
Peanut production in Guyana plays an important role in some areas of the country. In the remote Rupununi region of Guyana, peanut farming dominates the local economy and farmers depend upon the crop as their main source of income. Recent agricultural developments have enhanced production from 1,100...
plays an important role in the regional economy.
External links
- http://www.rupununi.org Website celebrating the extraordinary North Rupununi
- Report on the Atrocities Committed in the Rupununi Region og Guyana in January 1969.
- http://rupununilearners.org Website of Rupununi Learners Foundation (US) and Rupununi Learners Incorporated (Guyana)
- http://www.parowe.com/rupununi Photographs of the Rupununi region by Mark Holford.