Since I've been discussing Guyana, how about a profile of the state:
Guyana
Nickname: The Jungle State
Capital: Georgetown
Largest city - Georgetown - 303,683
Largest metro - Georgetown metropolitan area - 491,147
Area: 83,000 sq mi (ranked 15th)
Population: 1,568,706 (2010 Census) (ranked 40th)
Density: 18.9/sq mi
Previously: Guyana Territory (acquired from Britain in 1921)
Admission to Union: 1970 (51st)
Ethnicity
*Asian (including Indian Americans) - 37%
*African American - 23%
*White - 22%
**Non-Hispanic White - 17%
*Two or more races - 12%
*American Indian - 6%
In addition, Hispanic and Latino Americans make up 8% of the state's population. The majority are of Colombian, Venezuelan, and Brazilian descent.
Modern history
The British victory in World War I left the nation saddled with huge amounts of debt. Over five years of war had left the nation nearly bankrupt, with social tensions at the breaking point. To raise money for the government to repay the American loans, Britain decided to sell several Caribbean colonies to the United States, who had funded much of the war effort yet had stayed neutral. Although heavily debated in both nations (indeed, the United States would never purchase another colony from Britain), Guyana was sold to the United States for the sum of 125 million dollars (the equivalent of 1.57 billion dollars in today's money) in 1920, with handover to the United States completed in 1921 with the Territory of Guyana organized that same year.
The American Territory of Guyana was not as colonial than British Guiana, yet was still un-democratic in many ways. The franchise was expanded to all whites (including the many Portuguese workers), but poll taxes and literacy tests were strictly enforced as before, preventing the majority of black and Indian from voting. Nevertheless, the number of Guyanese voting in territorial elections swelled compared to the days of British rule.
Economically, the United States continued exploiting the sugarcane plantations, but new interests moved in as well. The military built their first base in 1922, while tourist companies began to promote "America's new tropical paradise". Mining companies discovered large reserves of gold and bauxite as well in this time. Compared to Britain, the United States invested far more in Guyana.
Thousands of Guyanese served their country during World War II in both Europe and the Pacific, and Guyana played an important role in curtailing the U-Boat threat from the Germans. Following the war, Guyanese returning home became increasingly politically active in trade union and other popular movements protesting the harsh conditions and lack of freedoms. Several major strikes occurred, while Guyanese protested in Georgetown and elsewhere. The idea for Guyanese statehood accelerated in this time, with numerous Guyanese politicians pushing the idea that Guyana would be best served as a US state. Guyanese independence supporters also emerged, inspired by the similar struggle for Puerto Rican independence. Associated with the Communist Party, Guyanese independence fighters waged a guerilla campaign from 1957 to 1969.
However, the more peaceful statehood movement achieved numerous results by the end of the 50s. Universal suffrage regardless of race was attained in 1959, while working conditions were vastly improved following the passage of several key laws in the early 60s. The statehood movement in Guyana emerged on a broad front from conservative Republicans to progressive Democrats. In 1969, the Guyanese Statehood Act narrowly passed Congress and was signed by President Hubert Humphrey.
Although the trend had started in the 1960s, Guyana's population rapidly expanded during the 1970s and especially into the 1980s and 1990s thanks to aggressive promotion from the state's tourism board. Although cost of living remained high, the natural beauty of the state as well as being closer and cheaper than Hawaii brought numerous tourists and later full-time residents to the state, which had a major impact on the state's demographics.
Politics
Guyana has elected two representatives to the United States House of Representatives since its admission to the Union in 1970. Politics in Guyana has been dominated by the Democratic Party since the 1950s, with very few Republicans elected at a state level. Guyana has only voted Republican in presidential elections during landslide years, and the state is considered a safe hold for the Democrats. The most prominent Guyanese politician on the national stage has perhaps been Senator (and later Governor of Guyana) Shirley Chisholm, an activist for civil rights and Guyanese statehood, was the first African American woman to sit in both the House of Representatives (1970 - 1978) and the Senate (1978 - 1990).
However, the issue of independence and regionalism is strong in Guyana, which has produced a powerful third party, the People's Party. The PP positions themselves as a broad tent alternative to the Democrats and Republicans, with their platforms usually featuring discontent with the federal and state government over land usage, housing, taxation, cost of living concerns, and immigration. They won the 1982 gubernatorial election in Guyana following the impeachment (and subsequent suicide) of Governor Jim Jones over issues of corruption (and salacious accusations of abuse against his staff and members of the church he pastored), which established them as a permanent force at the state level, but resurgence in the Guyanese Republican Party in the 90s and the cleaning house the Democrats conducted after the Jones scandal have bumped them back to third place.
Guyanese Democrats are typically solid progressives on social issues and economic issues. Guyanese Republicans also tend to be progressive on social issues relative to their party, but are often very friendly to development and business while opposing immigration and environmental laws. The People's Party varies widely depending on the politician, but is usually focused on local issues and tends to oppose unchecked immigration, expansion of military infrastructure in Guyana, excessive development to the detriment of Guyanans, and in general discontent with the federal government.
Economy
Guyana's economy is largely based on mining and tourism. The state is the largest sugar producer in the United States, as well as the largest producer of bauxite and diamonds. The beaches of Guyana are known throughout the country, and tours deep into the jungle common experiences for visitors. Guyana is also a popular retirement destination, and was often promoted as a cheaper Hawaii for much of the 70s onwards. Several military installations are located Guyana, serving as the United States' main foothold in South America.
Guyana's most famous economic fixture is the Humphrey Space Center, where NASA conducts human spaceflight among other scientific launches. In addition to being a major employer, the Humphrey Space Center serves as an important tourist attraction and symbol of the country.
Culture
Guyana has the highest proportion of Indian Americans in the United States, consisting of about 34% of Guyana's population. This has led Guyana to become a vector for Indian culture in the United States, with Bollywood films and Indian music finding an audience in this state and increasingly elsewhere in the United States. Caribbean culture also dominates the country, with the state having said to possess a laid-back atmosphere typical of the region along with numerous cultural hallmarks.
Cricket is the most popular sport in Guyana, crossing over age, racial, and gender divides. However, college basketball is also popular in Guyana, with the University of Guyana's sports program, the Golden Jaguars, having a substantial fanbase due to many successful seasons.
Religion
Around 1/5 of Guyanese profess Hindu owing to the Indian American background of the state, which during the 1960s and 1970s attracted widespread attention and "pilgrimages" from the American counter-culture. Also owing to this Indian cultural heritage, Guyana has by a higher proportion of Muslims than any state, with almost 6% of the population professing Islam. An increasing number of African American Guyanese have converted to Islam in recent years as well.
Christianity in Guyana tends to be divided into traditional Guyanese denominations, often associated with historic African American churches in the country or those from British colonialism, and newer denominations brought from the wave of migration to Guyana since the 1960s. Many Guyanese follow evangelical faiths, with Pentacostal churches rapidly growing in the country. Syncretic mixtures of Christianity with African or Amerindian spirituality is also common.
Perhaps the most noteworthy Christian faith in the country was the Peoples Temple, a socialist-inspired Christian new religious movement originally started in Indiana by Reverend Jim Jones, but relocated to Guyana in 1961 due to a vision from God Jim Jones claimed to have received. Peoples Temple built a large base in the country with over 20,000 members and helped control a powerful political machine which influenced the state Democratic Party for almost 15 years. Jones entered politics in 1978 following another vision, as the running mate of Forbes Burnham (associated with the Peoples Temple machine), but Burnham's sudden death in 1981 catapulted Jones to the governor's office. However, federal corruption investigations focusing on Jones, Burnham, and other linked politicians, now focused on Governor Jones, who was arrested in July 1982 and charged with corruption relating to the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, a farming cooperative for church members. Rather than face the charges and impeachment, Jones committed suicide live on the news not long after.