Namibia Geography 1997

Location Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angolaand South Africa

Geographic coordinates 22 00 S, 17 00 E

Map references Africa

Area
total: 825,418 sq km
land: 825,418 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Land boundaries
total: 3,824 km
border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 855 km, Zambia 233km

Coastline 1,572 km

Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Terrain mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Natural resources diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc,salt, vanadium, natural gas, fish; suspected deposits of oil, natural gas,coal, iron ore

Land use
arable land: 1%
permanent crops : 0%
permanent pastures: 46%
forests and woodland: 22%
other: 31% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land 60 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards prolonged periods of drought

Environment - current issues very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification

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

NOTE: The information regarding Namibia on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Namibia Geography 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Namibia Geography 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.