Angola Geography:
Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates:
12 30 S, 18 30 E
Map references:
Area:
total:
1,246,700 sq km
land:
1,246,700 sq km
water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 5,198 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province) 2511 km, Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1376 km, Zambia 1110 km
Coastline:
1,600 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:
Semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
Terrain:
Narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m
Natural resources:
Petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
Land use:
arable land: 2.41%
permanent crops: 0.24%
other: 97.35%
(2001)
Irrigated land:
750 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
Locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
Environment - current issues:
Overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements (not ratified)
Geography - Note:
The province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo |
