Location: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Language: Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Currency: 1 sucre (S/) = 100 centavos

Population: 12,562,496

Natural Hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; periodic droughts

Import: transport equipment, consumer goods, vehicles,
machinery, chemicals

Export: petroleum 30%, bananas 26%, shrimp 16%, cut
flowers 2%, fish 1.9%

Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber

Transportation:
Railways:
total: 965 km (single track)
narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways:
total: 42,874 km
paved: 5,752 km
unpaved: 37,122 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 1,500 km

Ports & Harbors: Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo

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

Language: French

Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Population: 167,982

Natural Hazards: high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
 

Import: food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals

Export: shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing

Industries: construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining

Transportation:
Railways: 0 km (1995)

Highways:
total: 1,817 km (national 432 km, departmental 385 km, community 1,000 km)
paved: 727 km
unpaved: 1,090 km (1995 est.)

Waterways: 460 km, navigable by small oceangoing vessels and river and coastal
steamers; 3,300 km navigable by native craft

Ports & Harbors: Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni

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

Language: English, Amerindian dialects

Currency: 1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents

Population: 705,156

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

Import: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Export: sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses

Industries: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp), textiles, gold mining

Transportation:
Railways:
total: 88 km (all dedicated to ore transport)
standard gauge: 40 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge

Highways:
total: 7,970 km
paved: 590 km
unpaved: 7,380 km

Waterways: 6,000 km total of navigable waterways; Berbice, Demerara, and
Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80
km, respectively

Ports & Harbors: Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika