Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 1 10 E
Map references:
Africa
Area: Area - comparative: Land boundaries: Coastline: Maritime claims: Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes: Natural resources: Land use: Irrigated land: Total renewable water resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements: Geography - note:
total: 56,785 sq km
country comparison to the world: 125
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land:
54,385 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water:
2,400 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
slightly smaller than West Virginia
total: 1,647 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries:
Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km
56 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea: 30 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point:
Mont Agou 986 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]
phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land
arable land: 44.2%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops:
2.11%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other:
53.69% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]
70 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
14.7 cu km (2001)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total: 0.17 cu km/yr (53%/2%/45%)
[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 ]
hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts
deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna