Page last updated on February 21,

Location:
Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon

Geographic coordinates:
2 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 28,051 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 146
land: 28,051 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 539 km
border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

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

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

Climate:
tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:
coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay

Land use:
arable land: 4.63%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 3.57%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 91.8% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
NA
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.11 cu km/yr (83%/16%/1%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 220 cu m/yr (2000)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
violent windstorms; flash floods
volcanism: Santa Isabel (elev. 3,007 m), which last erupted in 1923, is the country's only historically active volcano; Santa Isabel, along with two dormant volcanoes, forms Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea

Environment - current issues:
tap water is not potable; deforestation

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

Geography - note:
insular and continental regions widely separated