Page last updated on February 15,

Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
12 30 S, 18 30 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1,246,700 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 23
land: 1,246,700 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,198 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province), Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
1,600 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
More Climate Details

Terrain:
narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]

Natural resources:
petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium

Land use:
arable land: 2.65%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.23%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 97.12% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
800 sq km (2008)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
184 cu km (1987)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.35 cu km/yr (23%/17%/60%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 22 cu m/yr (2000)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

Environment - current issues:
overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo