Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia

Geographic coordinates:
8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 71,740 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 71,620 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 120 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 119

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:
total: 1,093 km
border countries (2): Guinea 794 km, Liberia 299 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

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

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

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)

Terrain:
coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east

Elevation:
mean elevation:
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Natural resources:
diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Land use:
agricultural land: 56.2% arable land 23.4%; permanent crops 2.3%; permanent pasture 30.5%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 37.5%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 6.3% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
293.6 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.21 cu km/yr (52%/26%/22%)
per capita: 38.74 cu m/yr (2005)

Natural hazards:
dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms

Environment - current issues:
rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleted natural resources; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa