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| Location: |
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
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| Geographic coordinates: |
8 30 N, 11 30 W
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| Area: |
total:
71,740 sq km
land:
71,620 sq km
water:
120 sq km
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| Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than South Carolina
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| Land boundaries: |
total:
958 km
border countries:
Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
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| Maritime claims: |
territorial sea:
200 NM
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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| Climate: |
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
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| Terrain: |
coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east
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| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
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| Natural resources: |
diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
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| Land use: |
arable land:
7%
permanent crops:
1%
permanent pastures:
31%
forests and woodland:
28%
other:
33% (1993 est.)
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| Irrigated land: |
290 sq km (1993 est.)
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| Natural hazards: |
dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms
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| Environment - current issues: |
rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing
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| Environment - international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
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