Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Geographic coordinates 6 00 N, 12 00 E

Map references Africa

Area
total: 475,440 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km
land: 469,440 sq km

Area - comparative slightly larger than California

Land boundaries
total: 4,591 km
border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Coastline 402 km

Maritime claims
territorial sea: 50 NM

Climate varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north

Terrain diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Fako (on Cameroon Mountain) 4,095 m

Natural resources petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Land use
arable land: 13%
permanent crops: 3%
other: 84% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 330 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Environment - current issues water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

NOTE: The information regarding Cameroon 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 Cameroon Geography 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Cameroon Geography 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.