Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and
Gabon
Geographic coordinates:
2 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 28,051 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 28,051 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 539 km
border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km
Coastline:
296 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:
tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain:
coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m
Natural resources:
oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits of gold,
manganese, uranium, titanium, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 4.63%
permanent crops: 3.57%
other: 91.8% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
violent windstorms, flash floods
Environment - current issues:
tap water is not potable; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship
Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
insular and continental regions rather widely separated