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![]() ![]() Congo, Democratic Republic of the Geography 2000 Location: Central Africa, northeast of Angola Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 E Map references: Africa Area:
Area - comparative: slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US Land boundaries:
Coastline: 37 km Maritime claims:
Climate: tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry season April to October Terrain: vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower, timber Land use:
Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards: periodic droughts in south; volcanic activity Environment - current issues: poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees who arrived in mid-1994 were responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching in the eastern part of the country (most of those refugees were repatriated in November and December 1996) Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note: straddles Equator; very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo river and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands |
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