49: 915,028
(2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $137.6 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.3% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Guinea

Disputes - international: major border incursions from Revolutionary
United Front combatants from Sierra Leone, dissident Guinean forces,
Liberian Army, and mercenaries between September 2000 and March 2001
killed over 1,500 Guinean civilians and military personnel; the borders
remain mostly sealed

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Guyana

Introduction

Guyana

Background: Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966 and became a
republic in 1970. In 1989 Guyana launched an Economic Recovery Program,
which marked a dramatic reversal from a state-controlled, socialist
economy towards a more open, free market system. Results through the
first decade have proven encouraging.

Geography Guyana

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Suriname and Venezuela

Geographic coordinates: 5 00 N, 59 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 214,970 sq km water: 18,120 sq km land: 196,850 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho

Land boundaries: total: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 km,
Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Coastline: 459 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or to the outer edge of the
continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds;
two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)

Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues: water pollution from sewage and
agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber