Guyana Neighbouring Countries and South American Borders

Geographical Overview of Guyana

Guyana, hanging out in the northern part of South America, is a land with quite the mix when it comes to geography and where it’s placed. If you get a sense of how big it is and who it rubs shoulders with, you can see the kind of relationships it has with its neighbors.

Size Comparison with Neighbours

With its sweeping 214,969 square kilometers, Guyana stretches out close to the size of the United Kingdom. Imagine layin’ 42 Trinidad and Tobagos in there, snuggly fitting in that expanse.

Country	Area (sq km)
Guyana	214,969
United Kingdom	243,610
Trinidad and Tobago	5,130

Chillin’ with its neighbors, Guyana cozies up to Venezuela in the west, Brazil to the south and west, and Suriname right over on the east side. These peeps next door make things pretty interesting when it comes to politics and land talk.

Bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Swinging over to Guyana’s northeast, you’ll bump into the Atlantic Ocean, designating a generous 459 kilometers—about 285 miles—of coastline. This salty stretch means more than just a good chance for a beach day. Think sea trade, fishin’ shenanigans, and all kinds of oceanic influences affecting everything from weather to critters. With such land and sea connections, Guyana is right there mixin’ it up with both the Caribbean vibes and South American scenes.

Wanna see how some other spots handle their spot on the map? Check out what Ecuador, Egypt, or Ethiopia got goin’ on with their neighbors in our guides on ecuador neighboring countries, egypt neighboring countries, and ethiopia neighboring countries.

Neighbouring Countries of Guyana

Suriname: Eastern Border

Guyana and Suriname are like next-door neighbors who can’t seem to agree on where the fence goes. Their boundary stretches about 600 kilometers (that’s 373 miles for the metric-challenged), drenched in colonial history and occasional squabbles. Even though they’ve had their quarrels over whose land is whose, both nations are trying their best to play nice and keep diplomatic relations cozy.

Country	Border Length (km)
Suriname	600

For all the latest tea on the border drama between Guyana and Suriname, swing by our Suriname Dispute page.

Brazil: Southern and Western Border

Head south and southwest from Guyana, and you’ll bump into Brazil’s whopping 1,606-kilometer (or 998 miles) border. Nature’s artwork marks this line, with rivers and mountains sketching the frontier. Despite the mileage, Guyana and Brazil are pretty tight—bonding over everything from military to trade.

Country	Border Length (km)
Brazil	1,606

Want more juicy details on how the Brazil-Guyana bromance impacts the neighborhood? Check out our Brazil and India Relations section.

Venezuela: Western Border

Venezuela might share about 789 kilometers (that’s 490 miles) of the western border with Guyana, but the real drama unfolds in the contested Essequibo region. The squabble over this land has been around since colonial folks thought they could claim what they liked. Throw in the meandering Essequibo River, which runs from Brazil down to the Atlantic, and you’ve got yourself a geographic soap opera.

Country	Border Length (km)
Venezuela	789

For all the many twists and turns on this, pop over to our Venezuela Dispute page.

Guyana sits pretty with its fascinating neighbors, Suriname, Brazil, and Venezuela, highlighting its special role in Northern South America. To explore more of Guyana’s treasures, like its beautiful scenery and natural goodies, make a stop at our Natural Resources and Landscape section.

Territorial Disputes

Guyana finds itself sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean, Suriname, Brazil, and Venezuela—all countries with their own stories and quirks. The colonial past has left Guyana tangled in some sticky territorial spats with Suriname and Venezuela.

Suriname Dispute

Now, over in the southeast corner of the map, we’ve got Guyana and Suriname squabbling over a piece of land known as the New River Triangle. This area is about the size of Connecticut, which sounds cozy unless you’re the one arguing over it. A United Nations tribunal stepped in back in 2007 to settle a fuss over maritime boundaries, but Suriname’s got their eyes set on this land.

Highlights of the Suriname Tiff:

• Where: New River Triangle, about 6,000 square miles
• Who’s Involved: Suriname
• Efforts to Patch Things Up: 2007 UN chat about sea boundaries

Venezuela Dispute

Heading west, we have Venezuela digging its heels in over land stretching from the Essequibo River. Now, imagine a neighbor declaring two-thirds of your yard as their own—that’s somewhat akin to Venezuela’s claim, affecting a good chunk of the locals too (Security Council Report).

Venezuela Scrap Details:

• Where: West of the Essequibo River
• Who’s Claiming: Venezuela
• Historical Grudge: Started in 1841, snubbing the 1899 award
• People Impacted: Around 125,000 folks

Historical Background

Blame it on the colonial past where lines were drawn like doodles on maps. Guyana’s territorial wrangles with Suriname and Venezuela are leftover tensions from the British colonial era, still causing headaches today.

Suriname Dispute Tidbits:

• The New River Triangle drama is a colonial hangover
• UN tribunal tried ironing out those sea borders in 2007

Venezuela Dispute Tidbits:

• Venezuela’s beef goes back to 1895
• Challenges the boundaries set by the 1899 Paris award
• Venezuela kicked up dust again in 1962
• Their claims stretch over two-thirds of Guyana

Interested in how other countries are dealing with similar disputes? Peek into articles like Grenada neighboring countries and Guatemala neighboring countries.

River Borders and Impact

Rivers are the unsung heroes in drawing the lines between countries, like how they shape Guyana’s edges. These watercourses carve both land and politics, leaving marks on the region that can’t be washed away.

Importance of Rivers

Rivers are more than just flowing water; they’re lifelines for nations they cross. In Guyana, they’re the heart of water supply, highways for boats, and markers of territory. They fuel agriculture, fishing, and trade, while nurturing wildlife and giving life to many communities, turning distant lands into neighbors.

International River Borders

In the game of borders, Guyana uses rivers to shake hands with its neighbors. In South America, nearly half of the international lines owe their existence to these watery pathways (NASA Earth Observatory).

Country	River Border	Border Length (km)
Suriname	Corentyne	~700
Brazil	Takutu	~200
Venezuela	Cuyuni	~280

Suriname: The Corentyne River cuts through the east side, playing a dual role in trade and transportation. It’s a resource dear to Guyana and Suriname but also a bone of contention in age-old land squabbles (Guyana History).

Brazil: Running along the south and west, the Takutu River’s shared custody with Brazil is less riddled with drama. It nurtures cross-border trade and cultural mingling.

Venezuela: The Cuyuni River draws the western line with Venezuela, wrapping around significant territory debates like the Essequibo region (Guyana History).

Thirsty for more tales of river diplomacy in South America? Splash into our article on Ecuador neighboring countries.

Conclusion

Rivers, silent though they may be, speak volumes in the political and ecological narratives of places like Guyana. They’re nature’s way of drawing lines—all while encouraging both dispute and friendships. Wrapping your head around how rivers define countries is your key to unlocking the mysteries of regional ties and economic jigsaw puzzles. Dive deeper into our reads on Gambia neighboring countries and Ghana neighboring countries for even more on this watery topic.

Natural Resources and Areas

Loaded with Resources

Guyana’s got a treasure chest of goodies underground and above. They’ve got bauxite, the glimmer of gold, sparkly diamonds, and strong-as-heck hardwood timber. If you’re in the white sand belt, just south of the coastline, you’re in the heart of bauxite, gold, and diamond country.

Natural Resource	Where You’ll Find It
Bauxite	White sand belt area
Gold	White sand belt area
Diamonds	White sand belt area
Hardwood Timber	All over the place

These treasures aren’t just pretty rocks and tall trees; they’re a big deal for jobs and what keeps the economy ticking.

A Mix of Nature’s Best Hits

Guyana’s geography is like a mixed bag of incredible natural beauty. The highlands inside the country are packed with plateaus, table-like mountains, and savannas stretching from that white sand belt down to the southern tips. Some of the show-stoppers include Pacaraima and Roraima mountains, the stunning Kaieteur Plateau, and Kanuku and Acarai mountains.

Feature	What’s the Deal	Where It’s At
Pacaraima Mountains	A bunch of peaks	Western side of Guyana
Mount Roraima	Big, flat mountain	Close to Venezuela
Kaieteur Plateau	High and flat	Smack in the middle of the country
Kanuku Mountains	Peaks galore	Down southwest
Acarai Mountains	More peaks	Down southeast

Around the coast, you’ll find soil ready for hardcore farming, though it’s gotta sit and recharge every now and then. Stepping further inland, soils aren’t as plant-friendly since they’re a bit worn out and less nice to crops.

For those with wanderlust for how other countries are shaped, dive into:

• Ecuador next-door folks
• El Salvador neighbor pals
• Eritrea’s near-bys

All these gems and scenes make Guyana stand out proudly among its South American peers. Curious about who’s hanging around Guyana? Check out the stories of Suriname, Brazil, and Venezuela.

Foreign Relations and Alliances

Guyana’s friendships with other countries have really been influenced by where it’s at on the map and its political hurdles. Budding friendships with nations like the USA, UK, Brazil, and India show Guyana’s savvy moves in dealing with local disputes and global team-ups.

United States and United Kingdom

Guyana and its ‘best buds’ across the Atlantic—USA and UK—have grown closer, especially when things got tense in the neighborhood. Take the 2023 clash with Venezuela: Venezuela waved a flag at the Essequibo River, claiming it for itself. Guyana then boosted its security team-ups, calling on the trusty USA and UK to back ’em up with some solid diplomatic and strategic support (Foreign relations of Guyana).

But it’s not all about military matters. These pals also lend a hand in economic and developmental ventures. This helps boost Guyana’s profile on the global stage while watching its own back, security-wise.

Brazil and India Relations

Now, when it comes to Brazil, Guyana’s got a pretty cozy thing going. These two share similar vibes, signing deals to better business and buddy up even more. Brazil gives Guyana a leg up with military training, logistics, and other kinds of help to prep Guyana for any curveballs coming its way (Foreign relations of Guyana).

India’s another old mate, with ties tracing back to when Guyana blew out its independence candles in ’66. The two get along famously across different sectors, with India offering loads of scholarships through its ITEC program. India’s into helping with stuff like:

• Farming
• Tech stuff
• Biofuels
• Energy
• Digging for minerals
• Medicine

These partnerships show the broad areas they’re working together on (Foreign relations of Guyana).

Guyana’s global friendships are all part of a plan to secure its place and keep the economy ticking along. By hangin’ out with both big players and nearby neighbors, Guyana’s aiming to expertly navigate its tricky neighborhood politics.

Got a curiosity for how other countries buddy up? Check out these links:

• ecuador neighbouring countries
• egypt neighbouring countries
• ethiopia neighbouring countries
• india neighbouring countries
• brazil neighbouring countries
• venezuela neighbouring countries