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Location:
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Western Africa, north of Ghana
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Geographic coordinates:
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13 00 N, 2 00 W
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total: 274,200 sq km
land: 273,800 sq km
water: 400 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than Colorado
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Land boundaries:
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total: 3,193 km
border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked)
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked)
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Climate:
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tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
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Terrain:
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mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m
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Natural resources:
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manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates, pumice, salt
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Land use:
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arable land: 17.66%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 82.12% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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250 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources:
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17.5 cu km (2001)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 0.8 cu km/yr (13%/1%/86%)
per capita: 60 cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural hazards:
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recurring droughts
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Environment - current issues:
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recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
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landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas
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