GEORGETOWN, capital of British Guiana (see GUIANA), population (1931) 64,207, and seat of the colonial government, situated on the left bank of the Demerara river at its mouth, in 6° 29' 24" N. and 58° 11' 3o" W. Known during the Dutch occu pation as Stabroek, it was established as the seat of government of the combined colonies of Essequibo and Demerara (now with Berbice forming the three counties of British Guiana) in 1784, its name being changed to Georgetown in 1812. The streets are wide and straight, intersecting each other at right angles, several having double roadways with lily-covered canals between the grass banks carrying rows of handsome shade trees. In Main Street, the finest street in Georgetown, the canal has been filled in to form a broad walk. The principal residences, standing in their own gardens, are scattered over the town. Water Street, the business centre, runs parallel to the river for about 21 m. and contains the stores of the wholesale and retail merchants, their wharves run ning out into the river to allow steamers to come alongside. Most of the houses and public buildings are constructed of wood. the former generally raised on brick pillars some 4-10 ft. from the ground, the bright colouring of the wooden walls, jalousies and roofs adding to the beauty of the best streets. The Public Buildings in the centre of the city, containing the offices of the government and the hall of the Court of Policy, were erected between 1829 and 1834. They form a handsome, E-shaped, brick-plastered block with deep porticos and marble-paved galler ies carried on cast-iron columns. The law courts, built in the '8os, have a ground floor of concrete and iron, the upper storey being of hardwood. Among other public buildings are the town hall, the Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals, several hand some churches, the local banks and insurance offices, and the alms house. The public hospital consists of several large blocks. The Royal Agricultural and Commercial Society has a large reading room and lending library. The museum of the Royal Agricultural and Commercial Society is chiefly devoted to the fauna of British Guiana, but also contains collections of local economic, mineral and botanical exhibits, foreign birds and mammals, and views of the colony. The extensive botanical gardens to the east of the city are admirably laid out. The nurseries are devoted chiefly to the raising of plants of economic importance which can be pur chased at nominal rates. The collections of ferns and orchids are very fine. In the gardens are located the fields of the board of agriculture, where experimental work in the growth of sugar cane, rice, cotton, etc., is carried on. Other popular resorts are the sea wall and the promenade gardens in the centre of the city.
The local government of Georgetown is vested in a mayor and town council elected under a very restricted franchise. The city is divided into nine wards, each with one representative. Three Councillors are nominated by the governor. There were, in 1921, 977 registered municipal voters. The revenue, just over £ioo,000 annually, is mainly derived from a direct rate on house property. The colonial government gives a grant-in-aid towards the upkeep of the streets. Water for public and domestic purposes is taken from the conservancy of the east coast and is delivered by pump ing throughout the city, but drinking-water is collected in tanks from rain. There is an excellent service of telephones and a trolley service and a halfpenny postage within the city boundaries. Georgetown has two well-equipped foundries, a dry dock, and factories for the manufacture of rice, cigars, soap, boots, choco late, candles, aerated waters and ice. It is connected by rail and ferry with New Amsterdam, by ferry and rail with the west coast of Demerara, and by steamer with all coastal districts and up the principal rivers.