Location Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates 12 30 S, 18 30 E

Map references Africa

Area
total: 1,246,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1,246,700 sq km

Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries
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

Coastline 1,600 km

Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)

Terrain narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m

Natural resources petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium

Land use
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 97% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

Environment - current issues 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

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note Cabinda is separated from rest of country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo

NOTE: The information regarding Angola on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Angola Geography 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Angola Geography 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.