Guyana turns red dirt road into a major new highway

Through the vast interior of Guyana, a historic red dirt road known as "The Trail" winds through rainforest, plains and hills, linking the capital Georgetown to Lethem in the south on the border with Brazil.

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Lethem - Through the vast interior of Guyana, a historic red dirt road known as "The Trail" winds through rainforest, plains and hills, linking the capital Georgetown to Lethem in the south on the border with Brazil.

Now, that nearly 500km link is being upgraded into a major highway and authorities in the South American country - which possesses the world's largest oil reserves per capita - hope the project will help transform its economy.

They also hope it can help open up Essequibo, the disputed oil-rich region administered by Guyana for decades, but claimed by neighboring Venezuela.