Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea
and Senegal
Map
references: Africa
Area:
total area: 36,120 sq km
land area: 28,000 sq km
comparative area: slightly less than three times the size
of Connecticut
Land
boundaries: total 724 km, Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
Coastline:
350 km
Maritime
claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International
disputes: none
Climate:
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season
(June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December
to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain:
mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Natural
resources: unexploited deposits of petroleum, bauxite, phosphates,
fish, timber
Land
use:
arable land: 11%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 43%
forest and woodland: 38%
other: 7%
Irrigated
land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing;
overfishing
natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce
visibility during dry season; brush fires
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law
of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
