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World > Africa >
Somalia > Geography (Facts)
Somalia - Geography (Facts) |
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Location: |
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia |
Geographic coordinates: |
10 00 N, 49 00 E |
Map references: |
Africa |
Area: |
total: 637,657 sq km land: 627,337 sq km water: 10,320 sq km |
Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than Texas |
Land boundaries: |
total: 2,340 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km |
Coastline: |
3,025 km |
Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 200 nm |
Climate: |
principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons |
Terrain: |
mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north |
Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m |
Natural resources: |
uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves |
Land use: |
arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 98.32% (2005) |
Irrigated land: |
2,000 sq km (2003) |
Natural hazards: |
recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season |
Environment - current issues: |
famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification |
Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection |
Geography - note: |
strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal |
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