Grade Six Social Studies
This week we continue to learn about Guyana’s Natural Regions. We discussed that Natural Regions are areas that have similar features such as soil, the build of land, plants or vegetation, and climate.
We have established that Guyana has FOUR Natural Regions: 1. The Low Coastal Plain
2. The Hilly Sand and Clay Region
3. The Highland Region
4. The Interior Savannahs
So far, we have examined extensively the Low Coastal Plain and the Hilly Sand and Clay Region and the Interior Savannah. This week’s lesson focuses on The Highland Region. I am super excited to learn more about this very important Natural Region in Guyana. We are going to explore this region under the following headings:
1. The Importance of the Highland region 2. Vegetation
3. Population
4. Resources
5. Important Places
6. Mountain ranges
The Highland Region
Which Natural Region do you believe is the largest? If you said the Highland Region, you are correct.
The Highland Region is the largest natural region in Guyana. It makes up approximately 63% of the country’s landmass. This region is made up of two sections, the Pakaraimas and the Forested Highland.
The Pakaraimas are found in the western section of Guyana and help to form part of the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela. -Mountain Roraima is found in this mountain range. It extends into Venezuela and Brazil, but its peak is found within Guyana’s borders.
Physical Features of the Highland Region
Why do you think the Highland Region is important?
This is why the highland region is important. (Kindly have your notebook or journal and pencils now)
1. Some of the largest gold and diamond fields in Guyana are near the mountain ranges.
2. The highlands are areas of heavy rainfall. Rain falling in this region collects in streams which run off in all directions to form the sources of the country’s main rivers.
3. Majestic waterfalls e.g. Kaieteur, Orinduik, and other forms of scenic beauty attract tourists from other countries.
Let’s Look at the Vegetation!
The vegetation consists of dense forests which provide Guyana with timber- a valuable source of revenue. The trees grow straight and tall with their leaves and branches at the top. This is because each tree struggles to get as much light as possible. The bottom of the forest is dark, damp, and gloomy. Birds and monkeys live in the trees, insects fill the air, mosquitoes are quite numerous as they breed in the swamps, and snakes which are quite numerous, add to the atmosphere of danger.
Population
This region is sparsely populated and is made up of small scattered villages. The population consists of loggers, pork knockers, and balata bleeders.
Do you know who a pork-knocker is? A pork knocker is someone who looks for gold and diamonds
Many people do not live in the Highland Region. We can therefore say that the region is sparsely populated.
Let’s examine why people may not want to live here: • Dense forest • Many rivers and waterfalls • Hard rock and thin soil over large areas makes agriculture almost impossible • Heavy rainfall creates huge swamps
• Snakes and the anopheles mosquitoes are numerous which transmit malaria. Boys and girls, you must know that people who have malaria usually feel very sick with a high fever and shaking chills.
Science Tip: Only Anopheles mosquitoes can transmit malaria and they must have been infected through a previous blood meal taken from an infected person. When a mosquito bites an infected person, a small amount of blood is taken in which contains microscopic malaria parasites.