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| Location | Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran | | | Geographic coordinates | 33 00 N, 65 00 E | | | Zone | Asia | | | Area | total: 647,500 sq km
land: 647,500 sq km
water: 0 sq km | | | Land boundaries | total: 5,529 km
border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km | | | Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | | | Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | | | Climate | arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers | | | Terrain | mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest | | | Elevation extremes | lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m | | | Natural resources | natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones | | | Irrigated land | 0 km (landlocked) | | | Natural hazards | damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts | | Environment -
current issues | limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water pollution | | Environment -
international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation | | | Geography - note | 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) | |
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