Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:
6 30 N, 9 30 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 111,369 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 96,320 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 15,049 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 105

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,667 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (3): Guinea 590 km, Cote d'Ivoire 778 km, Sierra Leone 299 km

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

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast

Elevation:
mean elevation: 243 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,447 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Land use:
agricultural land: 28.1% arable land 5.2%; permanent crops 2.1%; permanent pasture 20.8%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 44.6%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 27.3% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

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

Population - distribution:
more than half of the population lives in urban areas, with approximately one-third living within an 80-km radius of Monrovia

Natural hazards:
dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)

Environment - current issues:
tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage

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: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture