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Location:
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South-eastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania
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Geographic coordinates:
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18 15 S, 35 00 E
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Map references:
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africa
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Area:
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total: 801,590 sq km
water: 17,500 sq km
land: 784,090 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly less than twice the size of California
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Land boundaries:
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total: 4,571 km
border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km
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Coastline:
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2,470 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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Climate:
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tropical to subtropical
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Terrain:
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mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m
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Natural resources:
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coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite
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Land use:
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arable land: 5.1%
permanent crops: 0.3%
other: 94.6% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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1,070 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in central and southern provinces
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Environment - current issues:
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a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
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the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country
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