GEOGRAPHY
Location:
Southern Africa, east of Angola
Geographic coordinates:
15 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 752,610 sq km
land: 740,720 sq km
water: 11,890 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly
larger than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 5,664 km
border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic
of the Congo 1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia
233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical; modified
by altitude; rainy season (October to April)
Terrain: mostly high plateau
with some hills and mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301
m
Natural resources: copper,
cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 40%
forests and woodland: 39%
other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 460 sq km
(1993 est.)
Natural hazards: tropical
storms (November to April)
Environment—current issues:
air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction
and refining region; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros and
elephant populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification;
lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks
Environment—international
agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography—note: landlocked
