NamibiaGeography

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: 3,936 km
border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km Coastline: 1,572 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 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, hydropower, fish
note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore Land use: arable land: 0.99%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.01% (2001) Irrigated land: 70 sq km (1998 est.) Natural hazards: prolonged periods of drought Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip More about Namibia: Introduction People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues