Geography of French Guiana

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Geographic map of French Guiana

French Guiana is an overseas region of France, located on the northern coast of South America between Suriname and Brazil.

Contents

[edit] Location

Northern South America and part of Caribbean South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname

[edit] Geographic coordinates

4°00′N 53°00′W / 4.000°N 53.000°W / 4.000; -53.000

[edit] Map references

South America

[edit] Area

total: 91,000 km²
land: 89,150 km²
water: 1,850 km²

[edit] Land boundaries

total: 1,183 km
border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km (disputed)
Coastline: 378 km

[edit] Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) territorial sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi)

[edit] Climate

Tropical; hot,

[edit] Terrain

low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains, see Guiana Shield

[edit] Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
other mountains: Montaigne d'Argent, on the edge of Oiapoque river regions: 432 m

[edit] Natural resources

bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish, shrimp

[edit] Land use

arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 10% (1996 est.)
irrigated land: 20 km² (1993 est.)
natural hazards: high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
environment - current issues: NA
geography - note: mostly an unsettled wilderness