GabonGeography
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Location: |
Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
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Geographic coordinates: |
1 00 S, 11 45 E
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Map references: |
Africa
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Area: |
total: 267,667 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km
water: 10,000 sq km
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Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than Colorado
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Land boundaries: |
total: 2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km
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Coastline: |
885 km
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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Climate: |
tropical; always hot, humid
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Terrain: |
narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
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Natural resources: |
petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
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Land use: |
arable land: 1.26%
permanent crops: 0.66%
other: 98.08% (2001)
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Irrigated land: |
150 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards: |
NA
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Environment - current issues: |
deforestation; poaching
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Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note: |
a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity
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More about Gabon:
Introduction
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues
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