Location:
Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon

Geographic coordinates:
1 00 S, 15 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 342,000 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 341,500 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 500 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 64

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 5,008 km
border countries (5): Angola 231 km, Cameroon 494 km, Central African Republic 487 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,229 km, Gabon 2,567 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
169 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator

Terrain:
coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin

Elevation:
mean elevation:
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower

Land use:
agricultural land: 31.1% arable land 1.6%; permanent crops 0.2%; permanent pasture 29.3%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 65.6%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 3.3% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
832 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.05 cu km/yr (69%/26%/4%)
per capita: 13.99 cu m/yr (2005)

Natural hazards:
seasonal flooding

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them