Agatash | |
|---|---|
Village | |
  Agatash Location in Guyana | |
| Coordinates: 6°22′38″N 58°37′09″W / 6.37709°N 58.61910°W | |
| Country |  Guyana |
| Region | Cuyuni-Mazaruni |
| Population (2012)[1] | |
| • Total | 740 |
| Climate | Af |
Agatash is a village in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region of Guyana. It is located about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Bartica along the Essequibo River opposite Sloth Island.[2]
The area used to be crown lands.[2] In the early 1900s, the government of Demerara awarded 1,500 acres (610 ha) for a lime estate.[3] Agatash is made of two Arawak words meaning water and land.[2]
The economy is based on farming and mining. Agatash has a primary school and a health centre.[2] The nearest hospital is in Bartica.[4] Electricity is provided by solar panels donated by the Eerepami Regenwaldstiftung.[5] The village depends on rainwater for drinking.[2] In July 2021, the road to Bartica was paved.[6]
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Sloth Island is an ecotourism resort located on an island in the Essequibo River.[7] The island is opposite Agatash,[2] and measures 160 acres (65 ha).[8]
The island was uninhabited, contained pristine rainforests, and was home to many monkeys, sloths, and birds.[7] In the early 1990s, five acres were developed into a tourist resort which was built by Amerindians from Agatash. The remainder has been designated nature reserve.[8] The island can be accessed by a five minute boat ride from Bartica.[7]
