Venezuela claims almost two-thirds of Guyana, an English-speaking enclave on the northeastern shoulder of South America. The dispute revolves around the Essequibo region, a 61,000-square mile (158,000-square km) unpopulated area thought to be rich in minerals, including gold and  diamonds.

Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courentyne; The long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters has been resolved by UNCLOS with Guyana awarded 93% of the disputed territory.