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