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Liberia vs. Guinea

Geography

LiberiaGuinea
LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra LeoneWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates6 30 N, 9 30 W11 00 N, 10 00 W
Map referencesAfricaAfrica
Areatotal: 111,369 sq km

land: 96,320 sq km

water: 15,049 sq km
total: 245,857 sq km

land: 245,717 sq km

water: 140 sq km
Area - comparativeslightly larger than Virginiaslightly smaller than Oregon; slightly larger than twice the size of Pennsylvania
Land boundariestotal: 1,667 km

border countries (3): Guinea 590 km, Cote d'Ivoire 778 km, Sierra Leone 299 km
total: 4,046 km

border countries (6): Cote d'Ivoire 816 km, Guinea-Bissau 421 km, Liberia 590 km, Mali 1062 km, Senegal 363 km, Sierra Leone 794 km
Coastline579 km320 km
Maritime claimsterritorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climatetropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showersgenerally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrainmostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeastgenerally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Elevation extremeshighest point: Mount Wuteve 1,447 m

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 243 m
highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 472 m
Natural resourcesiron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropowerbauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt
Land useagricultural land: 28.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 5.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 20.8% (2018 est.)

forest: 44.6% (2018 est.)

other: 27.3% (2018 est.)
agricultural land: 58.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 11.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.8% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 43.5% (2018 est.)

forest: 26.5% (2018 est.)

other: 15.4% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land30 sq km (2012)950 sq km (2012)
Natural hazardsdust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season
Environment - current issuestropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; hunting of endangered species for bushmeat; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage; pollution of rivers from industrial run-off; burning and dumping of household wastedeforestation; inadequate potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices lead to environmental damage; water pollution; improper waste disposal
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - notefacing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculturethe Niger and its important tributary the Milo River have their sources in the Guinean highlands
Total renewable water resources232 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)226 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Population distributionmore than half of the population lives in urban areas, with approximately one-third living within an 80-km radius of Monrovia as shown in this population distribution mapareas of highest density are in the west and south; interior is sparsely populated as shown in this population distribution map

Source: CIA Factbook