Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references: Africa
Area:
total:
238,540 sq km
land:
230,020 sq km
water:
8,520 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:
total:
2,093 km
border countries:
Burkina Faso 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km
Coastline: 539 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
Climate: tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north
Terrain: mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mount Afadjato 880 m
Natural resources: gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land:
12%
permanent crops:
7%
permanent pastures:
22%
forests and woodland:
35%
other:
24% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: dry, dusty, harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts
Environment - current issues: recent drought in north severely affecting agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake; northeasterly harmattan wind (January to March)
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