Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon

Geographic coordinates:

2 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 28,051 sq km
land: 28,051 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 539 km
border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Coastline:

296 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:

coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay

Land use:

arable land: 4.63%
permanent crops: 3.57%
other: 91.8% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

26 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.11 cu km/yr (83%/16%/1%)
per capita: 220 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

violent windstorms, flash floods

Environment - current issues:

tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

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

Geography - note:

insular and continental regions widely separated