Essequibo River, Guyana September 1995 Even though cloud cover obscures approximately fifty percent of the landscape in this image, the delta of the Essequibo River is almost cloud free (near center). The light-colored, streamlining effect at the mouth of the river vividly depicts the sediment pattern and extent of its discharge into the Atlantic Ocean. East of this broad estuary, the smaller sediment plume of the Demerara River is visible as it also empties northward into the Atlantic Ocean (lower right quadrant). Georgetown, Guyana’s capital city and chief port, is located along the northeast shore of the larger estuary. Approximately 90 percent of Guyana’s estimated 750,000 people live along the agriculturally rich coastal plain. Linear patterns along the coast reflect land ownership boundaries (field boundaries, mainly sugar and cotton plantations) and numerous canals that interconnect the coastal plains. The extensive area of deep red colors inland in this color infrared image shows the tropical rainforest zone that characterizes most of the interior of Guyana.