Victoria Regia Lily

National Flag*
              The National Flag of Guyana is called "The Golden Arrowhead". It bears five colors - red, black, yellow, white and green The flag has the unique design of two triangles (one within the other) issuing from the same base. The outer triangle is gold-colored (arrow-shaped) with a narrow border of white along two sides. The inner triangle is red with a narrow strip of black bordering the sides. The background of the flag is green, representing the agricultural and forested nature of Guyana. The white border represents the rivers and water potential. The golden arrow represents Guyana's mineral wealth and the black border, the endurance that will sustain the forward thrust of the Guyanese people. The red of the flag represents the zeal and dynamic nature of nation-building which lies before the young and independent Guyana.

Coat of Arms*
               The national Coat-of-Arms of Guyana is a composite of motifs suggested in separate designs by three Guyanese artists. The design is interpreted as follows:
The Amerindian head-dress symbolizes the Amerindians as the indigenous people of the country. The two diamonds at the side of the head-dress represent the country's mining industry. The helmet is the monarchial insignia. The two jaguars holding a pick axe, a sugar cane and a stalk of rice symbolize labor and the two main agricultural industries of the country - sugar and rice. The shield which is decorated with the National Flower, the Victoria Regia Lily, is to protect the nation. The three blue wavy lines represent the many waters of Guyana. The Canje Pheasant, the National Bird, at the bottom of the shield represents a rare bird found principally in this part of the world and also the rich fauna of Guyana. The streamer below the shield bears the Nation's Motto
"ONE PEOPLE, ONE NATION, ONE DESTINY".

National Flower*
                    The Victoria Regia, a water lily, was discovery by Robert Schomburgh, a German Botanist in 1837, while leading an expedition into the interior of Guyana.

In its native habitat of tropical America the plant is perennial. It grows in 4- 6 feet of water. The base of the stems are situated in soft mud. For each plant there are seldom more than 4 or 5 leaves.

National Bird*
             The national bird is the Hoatzin or Canje Pheasant.

The adult Hoatzin is about twenty two inches long from bill to tail. Its colour is redish brown streaked with green. The under parts are pale brown. The feathers on its shoulder and sides the feathers are edged with creamy white. There is a crest of very long feathers on its head. The Hoatzin has a very short and very thick beak, and the skin around the crimson eye is of a pale blue colour.

The bird can be found throughout the year in areas along the banks of the Berbice River and its tributary, the Canje Creek and also the Abary, Mahaicony, and Mahaica Rivers. It feeds on the leaves of aquiatic vegetation.