Location:
Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon
Geographic coordinates:
2 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 28,051 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 28,051 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 146
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 528 km
border countries (2): Cameroon 183 km, Gabon 345 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
Coastline:
296 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain:
coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic
Elevation:
mean elevation:
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay
Land use:
agricultural land: 10.1%
arable land 4.3%; permanent crops 2.1%; permanent pasture 3.7%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 57.5%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 32.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]
Irrigated land:
NA
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
Total renewable water resources:
26 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.02 cu km/yr (80%/15%/5%)
per capita: 31.41 cu m/yr (2005)
Natural hazards:
violent windstorms; flash floods
volcanism: Santa Isabel (elev. 3,007 m), which last erupted in 1923, is the country's only historically active volcano; Santa Isabel, along with two dormant volcanoes, form Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea
Environment - current issues:
tap water is non-potable; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
insular and continental regions widely separated