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: 214,969 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 196,849 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 18,120 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 86

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Idaho

Land boundaries:
total: 2,933 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (3): Brazil 1,308 km, Suriname 836 km, Venezuela 789 km

Coastline:
459 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January)
More Climate Details

Terrain:
mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Elevation:
mean elevation: 207 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Laberintos del Norte on Mount Roraima 2,775 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Land use:
agricultural land: 8.4% arable land 2.1%; permanent crops 0.1%; permanent pasture 6.2%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 77.4%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 14.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
1,430 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
population is heavily concentrated in the northeast in and around Georgetown, with notable concentrations along the Berbice River to the east; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated

Natural hazards:
flash flood 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; contains some of the largest unspoiled rainforests on the continent