n the red band

Geography
---------

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic
Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana

Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 56 00 W

Map references: South America

Area:
total area: 163,270 sq km
land area: 161,470 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries:
total: 1,707 km
border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Coastline: 386 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: claims area in French Guiana between
Litani Rivier and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa
Rivier); claims area in Guyana between New (Upper Courantyne) and
Courantyne/Koetari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne)

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
highest point: Wilhelmina Gebergte 1,286 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower potential, fish, shrimp,
bauxite, iron ore, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum,
gold

Land use:
arable land: NEGL%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 97%
other: 3%

Irrigated land: 590 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: deforestation as foreign producers obtain timber
concessions
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling;
signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the
Sea

Geographic note: mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of
flora and fauna which for the most part is not threatened because of
the lack of development; relatively small population most of which
lives along the coast

People
------

Population: 436,418 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 34% (male 74,959; female 71,500)
15-64 years: 62% (male 136,287; female 132,407)
65 years and over: 4% (male 9,930; female 11,335) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.6% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 24.15 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.84 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 yea