Geography of Suriname
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[[Image:Suriname-map.png|right|Map of Suriname]]
[[Image:Suriname Topography.png|thumb|right|300px|Topographic map of Suriname]]
'''Suriname''' is located in northern [[South America]] and is part of [[Caribbean South America]], bordering the North [[Atlantic Ocean]], between [[French Guiana]] and [[Guyana]]. It is mostly covered by tropical rain forest, containing a great diversity of flora and fauna that, for the most part, are increasingly threatened by new development. There is a relatively small population, most of which live along the coast.
==Location==
'''[[Geographic coordinates]]:''' {{coor dm|4|00|N|56|00|W|type:country}}
'''Map references:'''
South America
===Area===
''Total:''
{{km2 to mi2|163270|precision=-1}}
<br>''Land:''
{{km2 to mi2|161470|precision=-1}}
<br>''Water:''
{{km2 to mi2|1800|precision=-1}}
'''Area - comparative:'''
See order of magnitude [[1 E+11 m²]].
===Land boundaries===
''Total:''
{{km to mi|1707}}
''Border countries:''
*[[Brazil]] - {{km to mi|597}}
*[[French Guiana]] - {{km to mi|510}}
*[[Guyana]] - {{km to mi|600}}
''Coastline:''
{{km to mi|386}}
===Maritime claims===
''Exclusive economic zone:''
200 nm (370 km)
''Territorial sea:''
12 nm (22 km)
==Climate and terrain==
===Climate===
Suriname has a tropical environment, and is moderated by strong winds.
===Terrain===
Most of the country is made up of rolling hills, but there is a narrow coastal plain that has swampy terrain.
====Elevation extremes====
''Lowest point:''
Unnamed location in the coastal plain - {{m to ft|2}} below Sea Level.
''Highest point:''
[[Juliana Top]] - {{m to ft|1280|precision=-1}}
===Natural resources===
Timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite and gold. Small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum and iron ore.
===Water===
The country has one large [[reservoir]], the [[Brokopondo Reservoir]]. Several rivers run through it, including the [[Suriname River]], [[Nickerie River]] and [[Maroni River|Maroni]] or Marowijne River.
===Land use===
(Using 1993 Estimates)
''Arable land:''
.36%
<br>''Permanent crops:''
>06%
<br>''Permanent pastures:''
0%
<br>''Other:''
99.58%
====Irrigated land====
(Using 1993 Estimates)
{{km2 to mi2|600|precision=-2}}
====Natural hazards====
N/A
==Environment==
===Current issues===
Deforestation is a real problem as timber is cut for export. There is also a lot of pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities.
===International agreements===
Suriname has agreed to the following agreements:
[[Biodiversity]], [[United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change|Climate Change]], [[Endangered Species]], [[Law of the Sea]], [[Marine Dumping]], [[Nuclear Test Ban]], [[Ozone Layer Protection]], [[Ship Pollution]], [[Tropical Timber 94]], [[Wetlands]]
==See also==
* [[Suriname]]
{{Geography of South America}}
[[Category:Geography of Suriname| ]]
[[fr:Géographie du Suriname]]
[[pt:Geografia do Suriname]]