Map references: Africa
Area:
total area: 475,440 sq km
land area: 469,440 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than California
Land boundaries: total 4,591 km, Central African Republic 797 km, Chad
1,094 km, Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km,
Nigeria 1,690 km
Coastline: 402 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 50 nm
International disputes: demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; dispute with Nigeria over land and maritime boundaries in the vicinity of the Bakasi Peninsula has been referred to the International Court of Justice
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: petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
potential
Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 18% forest and woodland: 54% other: 13%