Terrain: mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the country 300 m
Natural resources: phosphates, bauxite, unexploited deposits of
petroleum, fish, timber
Land use:
arable land: 11%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 43%
forest and woodland: 38%
other: 7%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce
visibility during dry season; brush fires
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
Ban, Wetlands
People ———
Population: 1,151,330 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 247,471; female 246,725)
15-64 years: 54% (male 295,132; female 329,681)
65 years and over: 3% (male 15,603; female 16,718) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.35% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 39.7 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)