| Location: |
Central Africa, south of Libya
|
| Geographic coordinates: |
15 00 N, 19 00 E
|
| Area: |
total:
1.284 million sq km
land:
1,259,200 sq km
water:
24,800 sq km
|
| Area - comparative: |
slightly more than three times the size of California
|
| Land boundaries: |
total:
5,968 km
border countries:
Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197 km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km
|
| Coastline: |
0 km (landlocked)
|
| Maritime claims: |
none (landlocked)
|
| Climate: |
tropical in south, desert in north
|
| Terrain: |
broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south
|
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Djourab Depression 160 m
highest point:
Emi Koussi 3,415 m
|
| Natural resources: |
petroleum (unexploited but exploration under way), uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)
|
| Land use: |
arable land:
3%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
36%
forests and woodland:
26%
other:
35% (1993 est.)
|
| Irrigated land: |
140 sq km (1993 est.)
|
| Natural hazards: |
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues
|
| Environment - current issues: |
inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification
|
| Environment - international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
|
| Geography - note: |
landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel
|
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