Location:
Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
22 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 581,730 sq km
country comparison to the world: 47
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 566,730 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 15,000 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 4,013 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Terrain:
predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]

Natural resources:
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver

Land use:
arable land: 0.65%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.01%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 99.34% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
14.7 cu km (2001)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.19 cu km/yr (41%/18%/41%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 107 cu m/yr (2000)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility

Environment - current issues:
overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country