Geography of Guyana
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 |