Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria
Geographic coordinates:
25 00 N, 17 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:
1,759,540 sq km
country comparison to the world: 17
land:
1,759,540 sq km
water:
0 sq km
Area comparison map:
total:
4,348 km
border countries:
Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
1,770 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea:
12 nm
note:
Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north
exclusive fishing zone:
62 nm
Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
More Climate Details
mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
lowest point:
Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
highest point:
Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
arable land:
0.99%
permanent crops:
0.19%
other:
98.82% (2011)
4,700 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
0.7 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total:
4.33 cu km/yr (14%/3%/83%)
per capita:
796.1 cu m/yr (2000)
hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
desertification; limited natural freshwater resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, brings water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert