Location:
Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Geographic coordinates:
16 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1.267 million sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 1,266,700 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 300 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 23

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,834 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (7): Algeria 951 km, Benin 277 km, Burkina Faso 622 km, Chad 1,196 km, Libya 342 km, Mali 838 km, Nigeria 1,608 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
More Climate Details

Terrain:
predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north

Elevation:
mean elevation: 474 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Niger River 200 m highest point: Idoukal-n-Taghes 2,022 m

Natural resources:
uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum

Land use:
agricultural land: 35.1% arable land 12.3%; permanent crops 0.1%; permanent pasture 22.7%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 1%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 63.9% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
1,000 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
majority of the populace is located in the southernmost extreme of the country along the border with Nigeria and Benin

Natural hazards:
recurring droughts

Environment - current issues:
overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world; northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable for livestock and limited agriculture