Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:
11 00 N, 10 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 245,857 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 245,717 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 140 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 80

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:
total: 4,046 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (6): Cote d'Ivoire 816 km, Guinea-Bissau 421 km, Liberia 590 km, Mali 1,062 km, Senegal 363 km, Sierra Leone 794 km

Coastline:
320 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:
generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain:
generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Elevation:
mean elevation: 472 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt

Land use:
agricultural land: 58.1% arable land 11.8%; permanent crops 2.8%; permanent pasture 43.5%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 26.5%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 15.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

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

Population - distribution:
areas of highest density are in the west and south; interior is sparsely populated

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; inadequate potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to environmental damage

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, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the Niger and its important tributary the Milo River have their sources in the Guinean highlands