Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 17 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total:
1,759,540 kmē
land:
1,759,540 kmē
water:
0 kmē
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries:
total:
4,383 km
border countries:
Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,150 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Coastline: 1,770 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
12 nautical miles
note:
Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees 30 minutes north
Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
highest point:
Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
Land use:
arable land:
1%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
8%
forests and woodland:
0%
other:
91% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,700 kmē (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues: desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Climate Change, Desertification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:
Biodiversity, Law of the Sea