Location:
Southwestern Europe, Pyrenees mountains, on the border between France and Spain
Geographic coordinates:
42 30 N, 1 30 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 468 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 468 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 196
Area - comparative:
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 118 km
border countries (2): France 55 km, Spain 63 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
Terrain:
rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Elevation:
mean elevation:
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes:
lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m
highest point: Pic de Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m
Natural resources:
hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
Land use:
agricultural land: 43.4%
arable land 5.5%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 37.9%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 34%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 22.6% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]
Irrigated land:
NA
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
Natural hazards:
avalanches
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees