FACT FILE

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon

Geographic coordinates:

10 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total:  923,768 sq km land:  910,768 sq km water:  13,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:

total:  4,047 km border countries:  Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km

Coastline:

853 km

Maritime claims:

continental shelf:  200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north

Terrain:

southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:  Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, arable land

Land use:

arable land:  33% permanent crops:  3% permanent pastures:  44% forests and woodland:  12% other:  8% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

9,570 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

soil degradation; rapid deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands