Geography of Sierra Leone

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Sierra Leone is a country in Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia

Contents 1 Geographic coordinates 2 Area 2.1 Total 2.2 Land 2.3 Water 3 Borders 3.1 Land boundaries 3.1.1 Total 3.2 Border countries 3.3 Coastline 3.4 Maritime claims 3.4.1 Territorial sea 3.4.2 Continental shelf 4 Climate 5 Terrain 6 Elevation extremes 6.1 Lowest point 6.2 Highest point 7 Natural resources 8 Land use 9 Natural hazards 10 Environment issues 11 Environmental agreements 11.1 Party to 11.2 Signed, but not ratified 12 See also

[edit] Geographic coordinates

8°30′N, 11°30′W

[edit] Area

[edit] Total

71,740 km²

[edit] Land

71,620 km²

[edit] Water

120 km²;

[edit] Borders

[edit] Land boundaries

[edit] Total

958 km

[edit] Border countries

Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

[edit] Coastline

402 km

[edit] Maritime claims

[edit] Territorial sea

200 nautical miles (370 km).

[edit] Continental shelf

200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation.

[edit] Climate

Tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April).

[edit] Terrain

Coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east.

[edit] Elevation extremes

[edit] Lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

[edit] Highest point

Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

[edit] Natural resources

Diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite.

[edit] Land use

Arable land 7% Permanent crops: 1% Permanent pastures: 31% Forests and woodland: 28% Other: 33% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 290 km²; (1998, 1993 est.)

[edit] Natural hazards

Dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (November to May); dust storms.

[edit] Environment issues

Rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing and slash and burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing.

[edit] Environmental agreements

[edit] Party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands

[edit] Signed, but not ratified

Environmental Modification

[edit] See also

• Sierra Leone