Location:
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
7 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 622,984 sq km
country comparison to the world: 44
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 622,984 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,203 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km

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

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers

Terrain:
vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]

Natural resources:
diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 3.1%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.15%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 96.75% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

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

Total renewable water resources:
144.4 cu km (2003)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.03 cu km/yr (80%/16%/4%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 7 cu m/yr (2000)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common

Environment - current issues:
tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa