| Location: |
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia
|
| Geographic coordinates: |
25 00 N, 17 00 E
|
| Area: |
total:
1,759,540 sq km
land:
1,759,540 sq km
water:
0 sq km
|
| Area - comparative: |
slightly larger than Alaska
|
| Land boundaries: |
total:
4,383 km
border countries:
Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,150 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
|
| Maritime claims: |
territorial sea:
12 NM
note:
Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north
|
| Climate: |
Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
|
| Terrain: |
mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
|
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
highest point:
Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
|
| Natural resources: |
petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
|
| Land use: |
arable land:
1%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
8%
forests and woodland:
0%
other:
91% (1993 est.)
|
| Irrigated land: |
4,700 sq km (1993 est.)
|
| Natural hazards: |
hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
|
| Environment - current issues: |
desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities
|
| Environment - international agreements: |
party to:
Climate Change, Desertification, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Biodiversity, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
|
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