Somalia
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Introduction - Somalia: | Location - Somalia: | 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 | |
People - Somalia: | Government - Somalia: | Economy - Somalia: | Communications - Somalia: | Transportation - Somalia: | Military - Somalia: |
This page was last updated on 16 September, 2007 Source: CIA >>> |