Geography of French Guiana
Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 53 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total:
91,000 kmē
land:
89,150 kmē
water:
1,850 kmē
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
total:
1,183 km
border countries:
Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Coastline: 378 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone:
200 nautical miles
territorial sea:
12 nautical miles
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Natural resources: bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish
Land use:
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
0%
forests and woodland:
90%
other:
10% (1996 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 kmē (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: mostly an unsettled wilderness
- See also : French Guiana
