Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 8 00 E    Map references: Africa Area: Total: 923,768 sq km   Country comparison to the world: 32 Land: 910,768 sq km   Water: 13,000 sq km     Area - comparative: Slightly more than twice the size of California Land boundaries: Total: 4,047 km   Border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km     Coastline: 853 km    Maritime claims: Territorial sea: 12 nm   Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm    Continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: Current Weather Varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north Terrain: Southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m   Highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m     Natural resources: Natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land Land use: Arable land: 33.02% Permanent crops: 3.14% Other: 63.84% (2005) Irrigated land: 2,820 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: 286.2 cu km (2003) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): Total: 8.01 cu km/yr (21%/10%/69%) Per capita: 61 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: Periodic droughts; flooding Environment - current issues: Soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil; has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land; rapid urbanization Environment - international agreements: Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: The Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea