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
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (2): Cameroon 183 km, Gabon 345 km

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

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]

Climate:
tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:
coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Elevation:
mean elevation: 577 m
[see also: Elevation - 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 ]

Population - distribution:
only two large cities over 30,000 people (Bata on the mainland, and the capital Malabo on the island of Bioko); small communities are scattered throughout the mainland and the five inhabited islands

Natural hazards:
violent windstorms; flash floods
volcanism: Santa Isabel (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