|
Location:
|
Southern Asia, between China and India
|
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
27 30 N, 90 30 E
|
|
Map references:
|
asia
|
|
Area:
|
total: 47,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 47,000 sq km
|
|
Area - comparative:
|
about half the size of Indiana
|
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 1,075 km
border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km
|
|
Coastline:
|
0 km (landlocked)
|
|
Maritime claims:
|
none (landlocked)
|
|
Climate:
|
varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
|
|
Terrain:
|
mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
|
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m
highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m
|
|
Natural resources:
|
timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide
|
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 3.09%
permanent crops: 0.43%
other: 96.48% (2001)
|
|
Irrigated land:
|
400 sq km (1998 est.)
|
|
Natural hazards:
|
violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season
|
|
Environment - current issues:
|
soil erosion; limited access to potable water
|
|
Environment - international agreements:
|
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
|
|
Geography - note:
|
landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes
|
