Geography of South Africa
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Location:
Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Geographic coordinates:
29° 00' S, 24° 00' E
Map references:
Africa
Images of South Africa
Area:
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
Coastline:
2,798 km
Sea boundaries:
South Africa is loosly bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on its west coast, the Southern Ocean and the Indian Ocean on its east. Major currents in these oceans are the cold Benguela current and the warm Agulhas current. The official meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian oceans are at Cape Agulhas.
Maritime claims:
Climate:
mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Terrain:
vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Elevation extremes:
Natural resources:
gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Land use:
Irrigated land:
13,500 kmē (1998 est.) (12,700 kmē - 1993 est.)
Natural hazards:
prolonged droughts
Environment - current issues:
lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage threatens to outpace supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note:
South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland. The southern-most point of Africa is found at Cape Agulas in the Western Cape Province. The Tropic of Capricorn crosses South Africa's Limpopo Province.Geography of South Africa
total:
1,219,912 kmē
land:
1,219,912 kmē
water:
0 kmē
note:
includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)
total:
4,750 km
border countries:
Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 855 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
contiguous zone:
24 nautical miles
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone:
200 nautical miles
territorial sea:
12 nautical miles
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Njesuthi 3,408 m
arable land:
12.13% (1998) (10% - 1993)
permanent crops:
0.77% (1998)
permanent pastures:
67% (1993)
forests and woodland:
7% (1993)
other:
15% (1993 est.)
party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements