Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Morocco and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 3 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total area: 2,381,740 sq km
land area: 2,381,740 sq km
comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 6,343 km
border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km,
Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km
Coastline: 998 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: part of southeastern region claimed by Libya;
land boundary dispute with Tunisia settled in 1993
Climate: arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers
along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco
is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer
Terrain: mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,
discontinuous coastal plain
lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
highest point: Tahat 3,003 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates,
uranium, lead, zinc
Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 13%
forest and woodland: 2%
other: 82%
Irrigated land: 3,360 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming
practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes,
and other industrial effluents is leading to the pollution of rivers and
coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in particular, becoming polluted from
oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of
potable water
natural hazards: mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes;
mud slides
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law
of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
Geographic note: second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
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Basic Country Facts
