Short facts about the geography of Angola
| Location: |
Southern Africa, bordering the South
Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the
Congo |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
12 30 S, 18 30
E |
| 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 2,511 km (of which 220 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda
Province), Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110
km |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous zone:
24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200
NM
territorial sea: 12 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%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures:
23%
forests and woodland: 43%
other: 32% (1993
est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
750 sq km (1993
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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
| Geography -
note: |
Cabinda is separated from rest of
country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo | Source: World Factbook |
