Geography - note In 30 editions of 36.

the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old, just about one-third of the 13.7-billion-year age estimated for the universe

second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo

sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands

landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas

• landlocked;
• straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed;
• the Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile

• strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes;
• important communications station;
• important sea and air refueling site

• sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa;
• throughout the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of current or prior volcanic activity;
• Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel

important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

• straddles equator;
• has narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean;
• dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them

most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated

• strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields;
• terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia;
• mostly wasteland;
• Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa

• controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere;
• controls Suez Canal, a sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea;
• size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics;
• dependence on upstream neighbors;
• dominance of Nile basin issues;
• prone to influxes of refugees

insular and continental regions widely separated

• strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes;
• Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

• landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993;
• the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia;
• three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean

• a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries;
• in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa

Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands

this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying inland

• the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa;
• glaciers are found on Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak;
• unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value

landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level

• facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars;
• the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel

landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature

• landlocked;
• divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese;
• the central, semiarid Sahelian;
• and the northern, arid Saharan

most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country

• the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs;
• home of the dodo, a large flightless bird related to pigeons, driven to extinction by the end of the 17th century through a combination of hunting and the introduction of predatory species

part of Comoro Archipelago (18 islands)

strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country

• first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the environment into its constitution;
• some 14% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

• landlocked;
• one of the hottest countries in the world;
• northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable for livestock and limited agriculture

the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea

landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the population predominantly rural

• Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world;
• Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns;
• Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha is the highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a prominent landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa

the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are mountainous

westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal

41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands

rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa

strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland

largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries

Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; 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 in the southwest

the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

• strategic location in central Mediterranean;
• Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers

the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas

landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe

• 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

• the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent;
• during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period;
• mostly uninhabitable

covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve Norway

islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean

Bassas da India (Iles Eparses):

the atoll is a circular reef that sits atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano

Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles

Glorioso Island (Iles Eparses):

the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system

Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses):

climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)

• Mawson Peak on Heard Island is the highest Australian mountain (at 2,745 meters, it is taller than Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia proper), and one of only two active volcanoes located in Australian territory, the other being McDonald Island;
• in 1992, McDonald Island broke its dormancy and began erupting;
• it has erupted several times since, the most recent being in 2005

the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia

• dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe;
• sparse population confined to small settlements along coast;
• close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk;
• world's second largest ice cap

• strategic location between Greenland and Europe;
• westernmost European country;
• Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world;
• more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe

barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

• northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway;
• consists of nine main islands;
• glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area;
• Spitsbergen Island is the site of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a seed repository established by the Global Crop Diversity Trust and the Norwegian Government

• landlocked;
• the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country;
• the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor)

landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range

both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked

most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal

• landlocked;
• strategic location between China and India;
• controls several key Himalayan mountain passes

• archipelago of 55 islands;
• Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean;
• island is site of joint US-UK military facility

world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US); Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak

strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

• dominates South Asian subcontinent;
• near important Indian Ocean trade routes;
• Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the world, lies on the border with Nepal

strategic location in northeast Asia

• landlocked;
• Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome;
• in January 2004, Kazakhstan and Russia extended the lease to 2050

strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

strategic location on Korea Strait

• landlocked;
• entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range;
• many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

• 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts);
• archipelago with strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

• landlocked;
• strategic location between China and India;
• contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on the borders with China and India respectively

controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

• largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world;
• despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture;
• Mount El'brus is Europe's tallest peak

strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

• landlocked;
• mountainous region dominated by the Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast;
• highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain in the former USSR

• landlocked;
• the western and central low-lying desolate portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which occupies over 80% of the country;
• eastern part is plateau

along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world

the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles

Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor

• a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches;
• its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean;
• the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)

strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited

easternmost Caribbean island

only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean

strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

important location between Cuba and Central America

• four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country;
• one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65

largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles

• known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system;
• the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world

shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea

the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

no natural harbors on west coast

shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages

• strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba;
• mostly exposed rock with numerous solution holes but with enough grassland to support goat herds;
• dense stands of fig trees, scattered cactus

• the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao);
• the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten

largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

• strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge connecting North and South America;
• controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean

• important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal;
• San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean;
• many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered;
• south coast relatively dry;
• fertile coastal plain belt in north

• with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a 3-km-wide channel called The Narrows;
• on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond;
• Nevis Peak sits in the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that of its sister island

• the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton),
• striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere,
• are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean

the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten

• the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada;
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays

• Pitch Lake,
• on Trinidad's southwestern coast,
• is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt

about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

• important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal;
• Saint Thomas has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees

• landlocked;
• strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys;
• major river is the Danube;
• population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes

crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO

• within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory);
• the region called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Montenegro, and traditionally has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the east

strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia

• controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits;
• most Adriatic Sea islands lie off the coast of Croatia - some 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and rocks

• landlocked;
• strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe;
• Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe

controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen

the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands

• archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets;
• strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic;
• precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands

• long boundary with Russia;
• Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent;
• population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain

largest West European nation

strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea

strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands

large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

• landlocked;
• enclave in Rome, Italy;
• world's smallest state;
• beyond the territorial boundary of Vatican City, the Lateran Treaty of 1929 grants the Holy See extraterritorial authority over 23 sites in Rome and five outside of Rome, including the Pontifical Palace at Castel Gandolfo (the Pope's summer residence)

• landlocked;
• strategic location astride main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and Mediterranean basin;
• the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza Rivers divide the country into three large regions

strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 100 km of Dublin

• one small islet,
• the Calf of Man,
• lies to the southwest and is a bird sanctuary

strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier

• most of the country is composed of fertile,
• low-lying plains,
• with some hills in the east

along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation

fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits

landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

• the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being inhabited;
• numerous bays provide good harbors;
• Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban

strategic location along the Adriatic coast

located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)

landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

• about two-thirds mountains;
• some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline;
• strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic;
• one of most rugged and longest coastlines in the world

historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine

• landlocked;
• smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco;
• dominated by the Apennines

controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East

• landlocked;
• most of the country is rugged and mountainous;
• the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys

despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes

strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

• landlocked;
• crossroads of northern and southern Europe;
• along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps

strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia; second-largest country in Europe

• lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes;
• only 35 km from France and linked by tunnel under the English Channel;
• because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters

• British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus;
• of the Sovereign Base Area land, 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land

• close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources;
• strategic location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia)

• British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus;
• of the Sovereign Base Area land 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land

• strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history;
• the town of Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history

strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf

• there are about 340 Israeli civilian sites - including 100 small outpost communities in the West Bank - as well as 42 sites in the Golan Heights, 0 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (July 2008 est.);
• Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source

strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied West Bank