Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates:
28 00 N, 3 00 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:
2,381,741 sq km
country comparison to the world: 10
land:
2,381,741 sq km
water:
0 sq km
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
total:
6,734 km
border countries:
Libya 989 km, Mali 1,359 km, Mauritania 460 km, Morocco 1,900 km, Niger 951 km, Tunisia 1,034 km, Western Sahara 41 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
998 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea:
12 nm
exclusive fishing zone:
32-52 nm
arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer
More Climate Details
mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
lowest point:
Chott Melrhir -40 m
highest point:
Tahat 3,003 m
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
arable land:
3.15%
permanent crops:
0.38%
other:
96.46% (2011)
5,694 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
11.67 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total:
5.72 cu km/yr (26%/16%/58%)
per capita:
182 cu m/yr (2005)
mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season
soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to the pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
largest country in Africa