GEOGRAPHY
Location:
Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Geographic coordinates:
22 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 600,370 sq km
land: 585,370 sq km
water: 15,000 sq km
Area—comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 4,013 km
border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840
km, Zimbabwe 813 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate: semiarid;
warm winters and hot summers
Terrain: predominantly
flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers
513 m
highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m
Natural resources:
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore,
silver
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 46%
forests and woodland: 47%
other: 6% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20
sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying
sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility
Environment—current
issues: overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water
resources
Environment—international
agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography—note:
landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country
