Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea
Area:
total area: 2,505,810 sq km
land area: 2.376 million sq km
comparative area: slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US
Land boundaries: total 7,687 km, Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605 km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km, Zaire 628 km
Coastline: 853 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: administrative boundary with Kenya does not coincide with international boundary; administrative boundary with Egypt does not coincide with international boundary creating the "Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 sq km, tensions over this disputed area began to escalate in 1992 and remain high
Climate: tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season (April to October)
Terrain: generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in east and west
Natural resources: small reserves of petroleum, iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold
Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 24%
forest and woodland: 20%
other: 51%
Irrigated land: 18,900 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations
threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification
natural hazards: dust storms
international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but
not ratified - Biodiversity, Desertification
Note: largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries