Natural resources: diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore,
gold, chromite
Land use:
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 2%
meadows and pastures: 31%
forest and woodland: 29%
other: 13%
Irrigated land: 340 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: rapid population growth pressuring the environment;
overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and
slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil
exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing
natural hazards: dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the
Sahara (November to May); sandstorms, dust storms
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Whaling; signed, but not ratified -
Desertification, Environmental Modification
People ———
Population: 4,793,121 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 1,057,824; female 1,092,291)
15-64 years: 52% (male 1,197,547; female 1,298,834)
65 years and over: 3% (male 75,066; female 71,559) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 4.14% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 47.13 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 18.24 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)