Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Côte d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates: 6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map references: Africa
Area:
total:
111,370 km²
land:
96,320 km²
water:
15,050 km²
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
Coastline: 579 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
200 nautical miles
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:
1%
permanent crops:
3%
permanent pastures:
59%
forests and woodland:
18%
other:
19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 km² (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
Environment - current issues: tropical rain forest subject to deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation