Location: | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara |
| Geographic coordinates: | 32 00 N, 5 00 W |
| Map references: | Africa |
| Area: | total: 446,550 sq km
land: 446,300 sq km
water: 250 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly larger than California |
| Land boundaries: | total: 2,017.9 km
border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km |
| Coastline: | 1,835 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: | Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior |
| Terrain: | northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
highest point: Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m |
| Natural resources: | phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt |
| Land use: | arable land: 19.61%
permanent crops: 2.17%
other: 78.22% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | 12,910 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards: | northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts |
| Environment - current issues: | land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea |
| Geography - note: | strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar
Source: CIA World Factbook
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