Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 35 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area: Area - comparative: Land boundaries: Coastline: Maritime claims: Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes: Natural resources: Land use: Irrigated land: Total renewable water resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements: Geography - note:
total: 947,300 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 31
land:
885,800 sq km
water:
61,500 sq km
note:
includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
slightly larger than twice the size of California
total: 3,861 km
border countries:
Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
1,424 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands
plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point:
Kilimanjaro 5,895 m (highest point in Africa)
hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel
arable land: 12.25%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops:
1.79%
other:
85.96% (2011)
1,843 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
96.27 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total: 5.18 cu km/yr (10%/0%/89%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita:
144.7 cu m/yr (2002)
flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought
volcanism:
limited volcanic activity; Ol Doinyo Lengai (elev. 2,962 m) has emitted lava in recent years; other historically active volcanoes include Kieyo and Meru
soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa and one of only two mountains on the continent that has glaciers (the other is Mount Kenya); bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) in the southwest