Guyana Geography, Guyana's Geography, Guyanas Geography, Guyanese Geography

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: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 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 mid-August, mid-November to mid-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: 2.44% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 97.41% (2001)

Irrigated land: 1,500 sq km (1998 est.)

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



Links: Guyana Travel Blogs (all) | Guyana Travel Photos | Guyana Travel Forum | Guyana Facts | Map of Guyana

Areas in Guyana: Annai | Bartica | Corentyne | Georgetown | Iwokrama | Kaiteur Falls | Lethem | Linden | New Amsterdam | Orealla | St Cuthbert's Mission