Location: | Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo |
| Geographic coordinates: | 8 00 N, 2 00 W |
| Map references: | Africa |
| Area: | total: 239,460 sq km
land: 230,940 sq km
water: 8,520 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Oregon |
| Land boundaries: | total: 2,094 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km |
| Coastline: | 539 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: | tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north |
| Terrain: | mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m |
| Natural resources: | gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower |
| Land use: | arable land: 16.26%
permanent crops: 9.67%
other: 74.07% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | 110 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards: | dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts |
| Environment - current issues: | recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
| Geography - note: | Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake
Source: CIA World Factbook
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