Guyana Geography Profile 2008

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)

Total renewable water resources

241 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 1.64 cu km/yr (2%/1%/98%)
per capita: 2,187 cu m/yr (2000)

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