| Location: |
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco |
| Geographic coordinates: |
24 30 N, 13 00 W |
| Map references: |
Africa |
| Area: |
total: 266,000 sq km
land: 266,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative: |
about the size of Colorado |
| Land boundaries: |
total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km |
| Coastline: |
1,110 km |
| Maritime claims: |
contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue |
| Climate: |
hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew |
| Terrain: |
mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast |
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m |
| Natural resources: |
phosphates, iron ore |
| Land use: |
arable land: 0.02%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.98% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: |
NA |
| Natural hazards: |
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility |
| Environment - current issues: |
sparse water and lack of arable land |
| Environment - international agreements: |
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note: |
the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas |
