Short facts about the geography of Guinea-Bissau

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal

Geographic coordinates:

12 00 N, 15 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total:  36,120 sq km land:  28,000 sq km water:  8,120 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:

total:  724 km border countries:  Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Coastline:

350 km

Maritime claims:

exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain:

mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:  unnamed location in the northeast corner of the country 300 m

Natural resources:

fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, unexploited deposits of petroleum

Land use:

arable land:  11% permanent crops:  1% permanent pastures:  38% forests and woodland:  38% other:  12% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

17 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  none of the selected agreements

Source: World Factbook