Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 35 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 947,300 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 885,800 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 61,500 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
country comparison to the world: 32

Area - comparative:
more than six times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than twice the size of California
Area comparison map: more than six times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
total: 4,161 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (8): Burundi 589 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 479 km, Kenya 775 km, Malawi 512 km, Mozambique 840 km, Rwanda 222 km, Uganda 391 km, Zambia 353 km

Coastline:
1,424 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:
varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain:
plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Elevation:
mean elevation: 1,018 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m (highest point in Africa)

Natural resources:
hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Land use:
agricultural land: 43.7% arable land 14.3%; permanent crops 2.3%; permanent pasture 27.1%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 37.3%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 19% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
1,840 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
the largest and most populous East African country; population distribution is extremely uneven, but greater population clusters occur in the northern half of country and along the east coast

Natural hazards:
flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought
volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Ol Doinyo Lengai (2,962 m) has emitted lava in recent years; other historically active volcanoes include Kieyo and Meru

Environment - current issues:
soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa and one of only two mountains on the continent that has glaciers (the other is Mount Kenya); bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) in the southwest