| Location: |
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
|
| Geographic coordinates: |
6 00 N, 12 00 E
|
| Area: |
total:
475,440 sq km
land:
469,440 sq km
water:
6,000 sq km
|
| Area - comparative: |
slightly larger than California
|
| Land boundaries: |
total:
4,591 km
border countries:
Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km
|
| Maritime claims: |
territorial sea:
50 NM
|
| Climate: |
varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north
|
| Terrain: |
diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north
|
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Fako 4,095 m
|
| Natural resources: |
petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
|
| Land use: |
arable land:
13%
permanent crops:
2%
permanent pastures:
4%
forests and woodland:
78%
other:
3% (1993 est.)
|
| Irrigated land: |
210 sq km (1993 est.)
|
| Natural hazards: |
recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases
|
| Environment - current issues: |
water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing
|
| Environment - international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified:
Nuclear Test Ban
|
| Geography - note: |
sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa
|
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