Cameroon vs. Central African Republic
Geography
| Cameroon | Central African Republic | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria | Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Geographic coordinates | 6 00 N, 12 00 E | 7 00 N, 21 00 E |
| Map references | Africa | Africa |
| Area | total: 475,440 sq km land: 472,710 sq km water: 2,730 sq km | total: 622,984 sq km land: 622,984 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than California; about four times the size of Pennsylvania | slightly smaller than Texas; about four times the size of Georgia |
| Land boundaries | total: 5,018 km border countries (6): Central African Republic 901 km, Chad 1116 km, Republic of the Congo 494 km, Equatorial Guinea 183 km, Gabon 349 km, Nigeria 1975 km | total: 5,920 km border countries (6): Cameroon 901 km, Chad 1556 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1747 km, Republic of the Congo 487 km, South Sudan 1055 km, Sudan 174 km |
| Coastline | 402 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm | none (landlocked) |
| Climate | varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north | tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers |
| Terrain | diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north | vast, flat to rolling plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Fako on Mont Cameroun 4,045 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 667 m | highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,410 m lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m mean elevation: 635 m |
| Natural resources | petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower | diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower |
| Land use | agricultural land: 20.6% (2018 est.) arable land: 13.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 3.3% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 4.2% (2018 est.) forest: 41.7% (2018 est.) other: 37.7% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 8.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 2.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 5.1% (2018 est.) forest: 36.2% (2018 est.) other: 55.7% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 290 sq km (2012) | 10 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes volcanism: Mt. Cameroon (4,095 m), which last erupted in 2000, is the most frequently active volcano in West Africa; lakes in Oku volcanic field have released fatal levels of gas on occasion, killing some 1,700 people in 1986 | hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common |
| Environment - current issues | waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation and overgrazing result in erosion, desertification, and reduced quality of pastureland; poaching; overfishing; overhunting | water pollution; tap water is not potable; poaching and mismanagement have diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation; soil erosion |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
| Geography - note | sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa because of its central location on the continent and its position at the west-south juncture of the Gulf of Guinea; 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 |
| Total renewable water resources | 283.15 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 141 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | population concentrated in the west and north, with the interior of the country sparsely populated as shown in this population distribution map | majority of residents live in the western and central areas of the country, especially in and around the capital of Bangui as shown in this population distribution map |
Source: CIA Factbook
