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Geography
Location: Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia
Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 390,580 sq km
water: 3,910 sq km
land: 386,670 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Montana
Land boundaries: total: 3,066 km
Border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km,
South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)
Terrain: mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m
Natural resources:
coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore,
vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
Land use:
arable land: 8.4%
permanent crops: 0.34%
other: 91.26% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,170 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros
herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced
by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zambia; in full flood (February-April)
the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water
(Source: The World FactBook 2002)
