General Information
Geographic coordinates: 8°30′N 11°30′W / 8.5°N 11.5°W / 8.5; -11.5
Land boundaries:
total: 958 km
border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
Coastline: 402 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi).
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation.
Terrain: coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east.
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
Natural resources: diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite.
Land use:
arable land: 7.95%
permanent crops: 1.05%
other: 91% (2005)
Irrigated land: 300 km²; (2003)
Natural hazards: dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); dust storms.
Environment issues: rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing and slash and burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing.
Read more about this topic: Geography Of Sierra Leone
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