Western Sahara Geography:
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
Geographic coordinates:
24 30 N, 13 00 W
Map references:
Area:
total:
266,000 sq km
land:
266,000 sq km
water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative:
About the size of Colorado
Land boundaries:
total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1561 km, Morocco 443 km
Coastline:
1,110 km
Maritime claims:
contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue
Climate:
Hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew
Terrain:
Mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m
Natural resources:
Phosphates, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 0.02%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.98%
(2001)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
Hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility
Environment - current issues:
Sparse water and lack of arable land
Environment - international agreements:
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements (not ratified)
Geography - Note:
The waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas |
