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Location:
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Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo
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Geographic coordinates:
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12 30 S, 18 30 E
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Map references:
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africa
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Area:
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total: 1,246,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1,246,700 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly less than twice the size of Texas
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Land boundaries:
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total: 5,198 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province), Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km
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Coastline:
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1,600 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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Climate:
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semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
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Terrain:
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narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
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Land use:
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arable land: 2.41%
permanent crops: 0.24%
other: 97.35% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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750 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
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Environment - current issues:
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overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
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the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo
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