Location: | Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone |
| Geographic coordinates: | 6 30 N, 9 30 W |
| Map references: | Africa |
| Area: | total: 111,370 sq km
water: 15,050 sq km
land: 96,320 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly larger than Tennessee |
| Land boundaries: | total: 1,585 km
border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km |
| Coastline: | 579 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 200 nm |
| Climate: | tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers |
| Terrain: | mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m |
| Natural resources: | iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower |
| Land use: | arable land: 3.95%
permanent crops: 2.28%
other: 93.77% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | 30 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards: | dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) |
| Environment - current issues: | tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation |
| Geography - note: | facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture
Source: CIA World Factbook
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