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:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 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: 15.82%
permanent crops: 7.47%
other: 76.71% (1998 est.)
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, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
Ban, 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