Page last updated on February 15,

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo

Geographic coordinates:
9 30 N, 2 15 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 112,622 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 102
land: 110,622 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 2,000 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
total: 1,989 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
121 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain:
mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]

Natural resources:
small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Land use:
arable land: 23.53%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 2.37%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 74.1% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

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

Total renewable water resources:
25.8 cu km (2001)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.13 cu km/yr (32%/23%/45%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 15 cu m/yr (2001)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March

Environment - current issues:
inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands