Niger vs. Burkina Faso
Geography
| Niger | Burkina Faso | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Western Africa, southeast of Algeria | Western Africa, north of Ghana |
| Geographic coordinates | 16 00 N, 8 00 E | 13 00 N, 2 00 W |
| Map references | Africa | Africa |
| Area | total: 1.267 million sq km land: 1,266,700 sq km water: 300 sq km | total: 274,200 sq km land: 273,800 sq km water: 400 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of Texas | slightly larger than Colorado |
| Land boundaries | total: 5,834 km border countries (7): Algeria 951 km, Benin 277 km, Burkina Faso 622 km, Chad 1196 km, Libya 342 km, Mali 838 km, Nigeria 1608 km | total: 3,611 km border countries (6): Benin 386 km, Cote d'Ivoire 545 km, Ghana 602 km, Mali 1325 km, Niger 622 km, Togo 131 km |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | none (landlocked) |
| Climate | desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south | three climate zones including a hot tropical savanna with a short rainy season in the southern half, a tropical hot semi-arid steppe climate typical of the Sahel region in the northern half, and small area of hot desert in the very north of the country bordering the Sahara Desert |
| Terrain | predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north | Mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in the west and southeast. Occupies an extensive plateau with savanna that is grassy in the north and gradually gives way to sparse forests in the south. (2019) |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Idoukal-n-Taghes 2,022 m lowest point: Niger River 200 m mean elevation: 474 m | highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m mean elevation: 297 m |
| Natural resources | uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum | gold, manganese, zinc, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, salt |
| Land use | agricultural land: 35.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 12.3% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 22.7% (2018 est.) forest: 1% (2018 est.) other: 63.9% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 44.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 22% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 37% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 21.93% (2018 est.) forest: 19.3% (2018 est.) other: 36.5% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 1,000 sq km (2012) | 550 sq km (2016) |
| Natural hazards | recurring droughts | recurring droughts |
| Environment - current issues | overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; contaminated water; inadequate potable water; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction | recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation (2019) |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | 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, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban |
| Geography - note | landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world; northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable for livestock and limited agriculture | landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas |
| Total renewable water resources | 34.05 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 13.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | majority of the populace is located in the southernmost extreme of the country along the border with Nigeria and Benin as shown in this population distribution map | Most of the population is located in the center and south. Nearly one-third of the population lives in cities. The capital and largest city is Ouagadougou (Ouaga), with a population of 1.8 million as shown in this population distribution map |
Source: CIA Factbook
