Short facts about the geography of Namibia

Location:

Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa

Geographic coordinates:

22 00 S, 17 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total:  825,418 sq km land:  825,418 sq km water:  0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Land boundaries:

total:  3,824 km border countries:  Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 855 km, Zambia 233 km

Coastline:

1,572 km

Maritime claims:

contiguous zone:  24 NM exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Terrain:

mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:  Konigstein 2,606 m

Natural resources:

diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish note:  suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Land use:

arable land:  1% permanent crops:  0% permanent pastures:  46% forests and woodland:  22% other:  31% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

60 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

prolonged periods of drought

Environment - current issues:

very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  none of the selected agreements

Source: World Factbook