Guyana was settled by the Dutch in 1616 and remained Dutch colonies until the late eighteenth century when the British assumed control.  In 1831, the British established the area as British Guiana.  Guyana achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1966 and became a republic in 1970.  The United States State Department as well as the United States Central Intelligence Agency played a strong role in deciding who was in power at the time.  In 2000, Argentina attempted to reclaim some of Guyana's land and the border dispute continues today.  In 2005, the country was hit by severe flooding that affected a third of the population.  Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam are the dominant religions of Guyana.  Christianity was established through the colonies that existed from the British.  Hinduism and Islam have only recently been on the rise.