Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash,
potash, coal, iron ore, silver
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 46%
forests and woodland: 47%
other: 6% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility
Environment—current issues: overgrazing; desertification; limited
fresh water resources
Environment—international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography—note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern
part of the country
People
Population: 1,464,167 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 310,578; female 303,495)
15-64 years: 54% (male 379,836; female 416,073)
65 years and over: 4% (male 20,224; female 33,961) (1999 est.)