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Location:
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Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela
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Geographic coordinates:
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5 00 N, 59 00 W
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Map references:
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south america
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Area:
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total: 214,970 sq km
water: 18,120 sq km
land: 196,850 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Idaho
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Land boundaries:
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total: 2,462 km
border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
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Coastline:
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459 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)
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Terrain:
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mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m
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Natural resources:
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bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
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Land use:
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arable land: 2.44%
permanent crops: 0.15%
other: 97.41% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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1,500 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
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Environment - current issues:
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water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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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
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