Location:
Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total:
600,370 kmē
land:
585,370 kmē
water:
15,000 kmē
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total:
4,013 km
border countries:
Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km, Zambia 0 km.
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Terrain:
predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m
highest point:
Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m
Natural resources:
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver
Land use:
arable land: 0.61%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99.38% (1998 est.)
arable land:
1%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
46%
forests and woodland:
47%
other:
6% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (1998 est.), 20 kmē (1993 est.)
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility
Environment - current issues:
overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country
See also
