Geography (Cameroon)
====================


     Total area:
         475,440 km2
     Land area:
         469,440 km2
     Comparative area:
         slightly larger than California
     Land boundaries:
         4,591 km; Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Congo 523 km,
         Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km
     Coastline:
         402 km
     Maritime claims:
       Territorial sea:
         50 nm
     Disputes:
         demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which has
         led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaiting ratification
         by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; boundary commission created with
         Nigeria to discuss unresolved land and maritime boundaries - has not yet
         convened
     Climate:
         varies with terrain from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north
     Terrain:
         diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center,
         mountains in west, plains in north
     Natural resources:
         crude oil, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower potential
     Land use:
         arable land 13%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures 18%; forest and
         woodland 54%; other 13%; includes irrigated NEGL%
     Environment:
         recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases; deforestation;
         overgrazing; desertification
     Note:
         sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa