Location: | Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa |
| Geographic coordinates: | 29 30 S, 28 30 E |
| Map references: | Africa |
| Area: | total: 30,355 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 30,355 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Maryland |
| Land boundaries: | total: 909 km
border countries: South Africa 909 km |
| Coastline: | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims: | none (landlocked) |
| Climate: | temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers |
| Terrain: | mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m |
| Natural resources: | water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals |
| Land use: | arable land: 10.87%
permanent crops: 0.13%
other: 89% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | 10 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards: | periodic droughts |
| Environment - current issues: | population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
| Geography - note: | landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level
Source: CIA World Factbook
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