| Location: |
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
|
| Geographic coordinates: |
7 00 N, 21 00 E
|
| Area: |
total:
622,984 sq km
land:
622,984 sq km
water:
0 sq km
|
| Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than Texas
|
| Land boundaries: |
total:
5,203 km
border countries:
Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km
|
| Coastline: |
0 km (landlocked)
|
| Maritime claims: |
none (landlocked)
|
| Climate: |
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
|
| Terrain: |
vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest
|
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Oubangui River 335 m
highest point:
Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m
|
| Natural resources: |
diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower
|
| Land use: |
arable land:
3%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
5%
forests and woodland:
75%
other:
17% (1993 est.)
|
| Natural hazards: |
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common
|
| Environment - current issues: |
tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation
|
| Environment - international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
|
| Geography - note: |
landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa
|
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