| Geography | Somalia |
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Location:
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Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia |
Geographic coordinates:
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10 00 N, 49 00 E |
Map references:
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Africa |
Area:
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total: 637,657 sq km
land: 627,337 sq km
water: 10,320 sq km |
Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Texas |
Land boundaries:
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total: 2,340 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km |
Coastline:
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3,025 km |
Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 200 nm |
Climate:
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principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons |
Terrain:
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mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north |
Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m |
Natural resources:
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uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves |
Land use:
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arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 98.32% (2005) |
Irrigated land:
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2,000 sq km (2003) |
Total renewable water resources:
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15.7 cu km (1997) |
Total renewable water resources - per capita:
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1,597 cubic meters per capita |
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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Total: 3.29 cu km/yr (0%/0%/100%)
Per capita: 400 cu m/yr (2000) |
Natural hazards:
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recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season |
Environment - current issues:
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famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification |
Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography - note:
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strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal |
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