Guyana:
Geography

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Other pages in this profile of Guyana:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.


Background	Definition Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is considered the country's first free and fair election since independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006.

Location	Definition Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela
Geographic coordinates	Definition 5 00 N, 59 00 W
Map references	Definition South America
Area	Definition - World rank and map total: 214,970 sq km land: 196,850 sq km water: 18,120 sq km
Area - comparative	Definition slightly smaller than Idaho
Land boundaries	Definition total: 2,949 km border countries: Brazil 1,606 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Coastline	Definition 459 km
Maritime claims	Definition territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin
Climate	Definition tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January)
Terrain	Definition mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Elevation extremes	Definition lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m
Natural resources	Definition bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Land use	Definition - World rank and map arable land: 2.23% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 97.63% (2005)
Irrigated land	Definition 1,500 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources	Definition 241 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)	Definition total: 1.64 cu km/yr (2%/1%/98%) per capita: 2,187 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards	Definition flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
Environment - current issues	Definition water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
Environment - international agreements	Definition 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	Definition 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