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Location:
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Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
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Geographic coordinates:
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4 00 N, 53 00 W
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Map references:
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south america
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Area:
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total: 91,000 sq km
water: 1,850 sq km
land: 89,150 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Indiana
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,183 km
border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
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Coastline:
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378 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
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Terrain:
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low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
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Natural resources:
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bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum, kaolin, fish, niobium, tantalum, clay
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Land use:
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arable land: 0.14%
permanent crops: 0.05%
other: 99.81% (90% forest, 10% other) (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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20 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
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Environment - current issues:
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NA
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Geography - note:
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mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent
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