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GEOGRAPHY
Location:
Southeastern Asia, group of islands including the eastern half
of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South
Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia
total area: 461,690
sq km
comparative
area: slightly larger than California
Land
boundaries: total 820 km, Indonesia 820 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
International
disputes: none
Climate:
tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon
(May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills
Natural
resources: gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil
potential
current issues: rain
forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial
demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects
natural hazards:
active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Rim of Fire"; the
country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes;
mudslides
international
agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Law of the Sea
Note: shares island
of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along
southwest coast
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