| 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
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 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. |
