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GEOGRAPHY
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea
and Liberia
comparative
area: slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land
boundaries: total 958 km, Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
continental
shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
International
disputes: none
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter
dry season (December to April)
Terrain:
coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau,
mountains in east
Natural
resources: diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold,
chromite
meadows
and pastures: 31%
Irrigated
land: 340 sq km (1989 est.)
current
issues: rapid population growth pressuring the environment;
overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn
agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion;
civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing
natural
hazards: dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara
(November to May); sandstorms, dust storms
international
agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Law
of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban; signed,
but not ratified - Climate Change, Environmental Modification
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