Area > A note
includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)
includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia
SOURCE:
CIA World Factbook, December 2003
Area > Comparative to US places
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the European Union
DEFINITION:
This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres).
SOURCE:
All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
capitals and largest cities > Countries > Cities larger than the capital
Johannesburg
New York City, Los Angeles , Chicago, and seventeen others (Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area ranks 4th)
DEFINITION:
SOURCE:
Wikipedia: List of capitals and largest cities by country
Forested Land
7.3%
24.7%
DEFINITION:
Forested land as a proportion of total land area, estimate by FAO
SOURCE:
FAO
Ranked 155th.
Ranked 109th. 2 times more than South Africa
highest towns > Town/City
Belfast
Leadville, Colorado
DEFINITION:
SOURCE:
Wikipedia: List of highest towns by country
Land boundaries > total (per capita)
0.1 km
per 1,000 people
0.04 km
per 1,000 people
DEFINITION:
The total length of all land boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
SOURCE:
CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011
Ranked 118th in 2008. 150% more than United States
Ranked 146th in 2008.
Land use > arable land
12.1 %
18.01 %
DEFINITION:
The percentage of used land that is arable. Arable land is land cultivated for crops that are replanted after each harvest like wheat, maize, and rice
SOURCE:
CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011
Ranked 94th in 2005.
Ranked 62nd in 2005. 49% more than South Africa
Land use > other
87.11 %
81.78 %
DEFINITION:
The percentage share of used land that is not arable or under permanent crops. This includes permanent meadows and pastures, forests and woodlands, built-on areas, roads, barren land, etc.
SOURCE:
CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011
Ranked 129th in 2005. 7% more than United States
Ranked 152nd in 2005.
Land use > permanent crops
0.79 %
0.21 %
DEFINITION:
The percentage share of used land on which permanent crops are grown. This is land cultivated for crops that are not replanted after each harvest like citrus, coffee, and rubber. It includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber.
SOURCE:
CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011
Ranked 128th in 2005. 3 times more than United States
Ranked 166th in 2005.
Largest city population
2,727,000
16,332,000
DEFINITION:
The population of the country's largest city
SOURCE:
United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook
Ranked 39th.
Ranked 4th. 5 times more than South Africa
Largest city with population
Johannesburg - 3,225,812
New York City - 8,168,338
DEFINITION:
Largest cities including most recent population (estimates included). Populations are figures only within the city limits, unless otherwise specified. All populations are from 2001 t0 2005 unless otherwise specified.
SOURCE:
United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook , City Population , CIA World Factbook, World Gazetteer , Official government websites.
northernmost point > Latitude
22°20'S
71°23'N
DEFINITION:
SOURCE:
Wikipedia: List of countries by northernmost point
Population density
35.6 people per sqkm
29.77 people per sqkm
DEFINITION:
People per square kilometre, in 1999. At this time the world average was 14.42.
SOURCE:
Heal The World Foundation.
Ranked 160th. 20% more than United States
Ranked 168th.
Population density > people per sq. km
38.61 people/m²
32.35 people/m²
DEFINITION:
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.
SOURCE:
World Development Indicators database
Ranked 143rd in 2005. 19% more than United States
Ranked 151st in 2005.
Precipitation
520 mm
1,201 mm
DEFINITION:
Average Annual Precipitation in Largest City (mm, 1931-1960)
SOURCE:
United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook
Ranked 70th.
Ranked 25th. 131% more than South Africa
Rural population density > rural population per sq. km of arable land
129.44 people/km² of arable lan
32.72 people/km² of arable lan
DEFINITION:
Rural population density is the rural population divided by the arable land area. Rural population is calculated as the difference between the total population and the urban population. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.
SOURCE:
World Development Indicators database
Ranked 137th in 2003. 3 times more than United States
Ranked 181st in 2003.
Capital city with population
Pretoria (official) - est. 1,000,000; Cape Town (legislative) - 2,893,251; Bloemfontein (judicial) - 369,568
Washington, D.C. - 606,900
DEFINITION:
Capital cities including most recent population (estimates included). Populations are figures only within the city limits, unless otherwise specified. All populations are from 2001 t0 2005 unless otherwise specified.
SOURCE:
United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook , City Population , CIA World Factbook, World Gazetteer , Official government websites.
tallest mountains > Mountain
Njesuthi
Mount McKinley
DEFINITION:
SOURCE:
Wikipedia: List of tallest mountains by country
Total area > sq. km
1,219,090
9,632,030
DEFINITION:
Surface area is a country's total area, including areas under inland bodies of water and some coastal waterways."
SOURCE:
Food and Agriculture Organisation, electronic files and web site.
Ranked 24th in 2008.
Ranked 3rd in 2008. 7 times more than South Africa
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