Location Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates 7 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references Africa

Area
total: 622,980 sq km
land: 622,980 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries
total: 5,203 km
border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km

Coastline 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims none (landlocked)

Climate tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers

Terrain vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
highest point: Mount Gaou 1,420 m

Natural resources diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil

Land use
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 75%
other: 17% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land NA sq km

Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common

Environment - current issues tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

NOTE: The information regarding Central African Republic on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Central African Republic Geography 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Central African Republic Geography 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.