Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 1 10 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:
56,785 sq km
country comparison to the world: 126
land:
54,385 sq km
water:
2,400 sq km
slightly smaller than West Virginia
total:
1,647 km
border countries:
Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
56 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea:
30 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
More Climate Details
gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mont Agou 986 m
phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land
arable land:
44.2%
permanent crops:
3.7%
other:
52.1% (2011)
73 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
14.7 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total:
0.17 cu km/yr (63%/3%/34%)
per capita:
33.46 cu m/yr (2005)
hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts
deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna