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Guyana - Geography (Facts)

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela Geographic coordinates: 5 00 N, 59 00 W Map references: South America Area: total: 214,970 sq km land: 196,850 sq km water: 18,120 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho Land boundaries: total: 2,949 km border countries: Brazil 1,606 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km Coastline: 459 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January) Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish Land use: arable land: 2.23% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 97.63% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,500 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons Environment - current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively