The 1996 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Africa, bordering the North

       Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia

      Flag——

      Description: three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white, and red; design was based on the flag of France

      Geography————

      Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,

       between Ghana and Liberia

      Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 5 00 W

      Map references: Africa

      Area:

       total area: 322,460 sq km

       land area: 318,000 sq km

       comparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico

      Land boundaries:

       total: 3,110 km

       border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km,

       Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

      Coastline: 515 km

      Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

      International disputes: none

      Climate: tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three

       seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to

       May), hot and wet (June to October)

      Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest

       lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

       highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

      Natural resources: petroleum, diamonds, manganese, iron ore,

       cobalt, bauxite, copper

      Land use:

       arable land: 9%

       permanent crops: 4%

       meadows and pastures: 9%

       forest and woodland: 26%

       other: 52%

      Irrigated land: 620 sq km (1989 est.)

      Environment:

       current issues: deforestation (most of the country's forests - once

       the largest in West Africa - have been cleared by the timber

       industry); water pollution from sewage and industrial and

       agricultural effluents

       natural hazards: coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during

       the rainy season torrential flooding is possible

       international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,

       Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine

       Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

       Tropical Timber 83; signed, but not ratified - Desertification