Equatorial Guinea Geography Profile 2009

Location

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon

Geographic coordinates

2 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 28,051 sq km
land: 28,051 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries

total: 539 km
border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Coastline

296 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate

tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain

coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay

Land use

arable land: 4.63%
permanent crops: 3.57%
other: 91.8% (2005)

Irrigated land

NA

Total renewable water resources

26 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.11 cu km/yr (83%/16%/1%)
per capita: 220 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

violent windstorms; flash floods

Environment - current issues

tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

insular and continental regions widely separated