Disputes: exact locations of the Chad-Niger-Nigeria and Cameroon-Chad-Nigeria tripoints in Lake Chad have not been determined, so the boundary has not been demarcated and border incidents have resulted; Nigerian proposals to reopen maritime boundary negotiations and redemarcate the entire land boundary have been rejected by Cameroon
Climate: varies with terrain from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north
Terrain: diverse with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north
Natural resources: crude oil, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower potential
Land use: 13% arable land; 2% permanent crops; 18% meadows and pastures; 54% forest and woodland; 13% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification
Note: sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa
- People
Population: 11,092,470 (July 1990), growth rate 2.7% (1990)
Birth rate: 42 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 15 deaths/1,000 population (1990)