Location:
Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
29 30 S, 28 30 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 30,355 sq km
country comparison to the world: 141
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 30,355 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 909 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries: South Africa 909 km

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

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain:
mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]

Natural resources:
water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone

Land use:
arable land: 10.87%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.13%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 89% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

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

Total renewable water resources:
5.2 cu km (1987)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.05 cu km/yr (40%/40%/20%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 28 cu m/yr (2000)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa

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

Geography - note:
landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level