Fact File

Location:	Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates:	11 00 N, 10 00 W
Map references:	Africa
Area:	total: 245,857 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 245,857 sq km
Area - comparative:	slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:	total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km
Coastline:	320 km
Maritime claims:	exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:	generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain:	generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Elevation extremes:	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Natural resources:	bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish
Land use:	arable land: 4% permanent crops: 2% other: 94% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:	950 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:	hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season
Environment - current issues:	deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to environmental damage
Environment - international agreements:	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:	the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands