Republic of the Congo vs. Central African Republic
Geography
| Republic of the Congo | Central African Republic | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon | Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Geographic coordinates | 1 00 S, 15 00 E | 7 00 N, 21 00 E |
| Map references | Africa | Africa |
| Area | total: 342,000 sq km land: 341,500 sq km water: 500 sq km | total: 622,984 sq km land: 622,984 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Montana; about twice the size of Florida | slightly smaller than Texas; about four times the size of Georgia |
| Land boundaries | total: 5,554 km border countries (5): Angola 231 km, Cameroon 494 km, Central African Republic 487 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1775 km, Gabon 2567 km | total: 5,920 km border countries (6): Cameroon 901 km, Chad 1556 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1747 km, Republic of the Congo 487 km, South Sudan 1055 km, Sudan 174 km |
| Coastline | 169 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm | none (landlocked) |
| Climate | tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator | tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers |
| Terrain | coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin | vast, flat to rolling plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 430 m | highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,410 m lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m mean elevation: 635 m |
| Natural resources | petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower | diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower |
| Land use | agricultural land: 31.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 1.6% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 29.3% (2018 est.) forest: 65.6% (2018 est.) other: 3.3% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 8.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 2.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 5.1% (2018 est.) forest: 36.2% (2018 est.) other: 55.7% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 20 sq km (2012) | 10 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | seasonal flooding | hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common |
| Environment - current issues | air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation; wildlife protection | water pollution; tap water is not potable; poaching and mismanagement have diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation; soil erosion |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, 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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
| Geography - note | about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them | landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa |
| Total renewable water resources | 832 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 141 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | the population is primarily located in the south, in and around the capital of Brazzaville as shown in this population distribution map | majority of residents live in the western and central areas of the country, especially in and around the capital of Bangui as shown in this population distribution map |
Source: CIA Factbook
