Cameroon Map

Cameroon Map



Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Geographic coordinates: 6 00 N, 12 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: Total: 475,440 sq km land: 469,440 sq km water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative: Slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: Total: 4,591 km border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Coastline: 402 km

Maritime claims: Territorial sea: 50 nm

Climate: Varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north

Terrain: Diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Fako (on Mount Cameroon) 4,095 m

Natural resources: Petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Land use: Arable land: 12.81% permanent crops: 2.58% other: 84.61% (2001)

Irrigated land: 330 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: Volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Environment - current issues: Waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing

Environment - international agreements: Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: Sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano