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Geographic Regions

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Guyana, officially titled “Co-operative Republic of Guyana”, can be separated into four main geographic regions, but before we get into that, let us first pinpoint exactly where Guyana is located in relation to the more familiar nations of South America. Guyana is positioned just north of the Equator and bordered in the north by the Atlantic Ocean, in the south by Brazil, on the west by Brazil and Venezuela, and Suriname on the east. The area of land it includes is only about 83,000 square miles of which 270 miles is coastline, making it the third smallest country in South America. Within the borders of Guyana, are four distinct geographic regions: The Coastal Region, The Sand and Clay Belt Region, The Highland Region, and The Savannahs.

• The Coastal Region: The Coastal Region is built upon a belt of “alluvial soil” that rests mostly below sea level. A combination of dams, canals, and “kokers” help prevent flooding in this most populated area of Guyana.
• The Sand and Clay Belt Region: This region, made up mostly of pristine rainforests and vast amounts of Guyana’s mineral deposits, lies south of the Coastal Region and covers about 14% of the country.
• The Highland Region: The Highland Region is a large area made up of four mountain ranges: the Imataka (northwest), the Pakaraima (west), the Kanuku (southeast), and the Akarai (south). Mount Roraima, the highest peak in Guyana at about 9,091 feet, is found in the Pakaraima mountain range on the borders of Venezuela and Brazil. The region is also abundant in gold, which is one of the top four money making exports, and diamonds.
• The Savannahs: The Savannahs can be divided into the Rupununi savannah and the other interior savannahs. The Rupununi savannah, about 6,000 square miles in area, is divided into north and south sections by the Kanuku mountain range. The other interior or sometimes called intermediate, savannahs only cover an area of about 2,000 square miles.

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