The 2009 CIA World Factbook

Part 225

Chapter 2253,584 wordsPublic domain

Macedonia lowest point: Vardar River 50 m highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m

Madagascar lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Malawi lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Malaysia lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Maldives lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m

Mali lowest point: Senegal River 23 m highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Malta lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Marshall Islands lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Mauritania lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m

Mauritius lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Mayotte lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Benara 660 m

Mexico lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Micronesia, Federated States of lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Moldova lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Monaco lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Mongolia lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Montenegro lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m

Montserrat lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006)

Morocco lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m

Mozambique lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Namibia lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Nauru lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Navassa Island lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Nepal lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Netherlands lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Netherlands Antilles lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

New Caledonia lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

New Zealand lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Nicaragua lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Niger lowest point: Niger River 200 m highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m

Nigeria lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Niue lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Norfolk Island lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Northern Mariana Islands lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

Norway lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Oman lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m

Pacific Ocean lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m highest point: sea level 0 m

Pakistan lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Palau lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

Panama lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan Baru 3,475 m

Papua New Guinea lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

Paracel Islands lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

Paraguay lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m

Peru lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Philippines lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m

Pitcairn Islands lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

Poland lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Portugal lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m

Puerto Rico lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,339 m

Qatar lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Romania lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Russia lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m

Rwanda lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Saint Barthelemy lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m

Saint Helena lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena Island 818 m

Saint Kitts and Nevis lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

Saint Lucia lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Saint Martin lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m

Saint Pierre and Miquelon lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m

Samoa lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m

San Marino lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m highest point: Monte Titano 755 m

Sao Tome and Principe lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Saudi Arabia lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Senegal lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m

Serbia lowest point: NA highest point: Midzor 2,169 m

Seychelles lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Sierra Leone lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Singapore lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Slovakia lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Slovenia lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

Solomon Islands lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Somalia lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m

South Africa lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m

Southern Ocean lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the South Sandwich Trench highest point: sea level 0 m

Spain lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Spratly Islands lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Sri Lanka lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Sudan lowest point: Red Sea 0 m highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Suriname lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Svalbard lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Swaziland lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Sweden lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.4 m highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Switzerland lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Syria lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Taiwan lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m

Tajikistan lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m

Tanzania lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Thailand lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Timor-Leste lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Togo lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Agou 986 m

Tokelau lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Tonga lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Trinidad and Tobago lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Tunisia lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

Turkey lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m

Turkmenistan lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note - Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -110 m) highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m

Turks and Caicos Islands lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Tuvalu lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Uganda lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

Ukraine lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

United Arab Emirates lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

United Kingdom lowest point: The Fens -4 m highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m

United States lowest point: Death Valley -86 m highest point: Mount McKinley 6,198 m

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Baker Island, unnamed location - 8 m; Howland Island, unnamed location - 3 m; Jarvis Island, unnamed location - 7 m; Johnston Atoll, Sand Island - 10 m; Kingman Reef, unnamed location - less than 2 m; Midway Islands, unnamed location - 13 m; Palmyra Atoll, unnamed location - 3 m

Uruguay lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Uzbekistan lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Vanuatu lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Venezuela lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

Vietnam lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

Virgin Islands lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m

Wake Island lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 6 m

Wallis and Futuna lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Singavi (on Futuna) 765 m

West Bank lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m

Western Sahara lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m highest point: unnamed elevation 805 m

World lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,555 m note: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is the lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the Pacific Ocean highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Yemen lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,667 m

Zambia lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Zimbabwe lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

======================================================================

@2021

Field Listing :: Natural hazards

This entry lists potential natural disasters. Country

Natural hazards

Afghanistan damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts

Albania destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought

Algeria mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season

American Samoa typhoons common from December to March

Andorra avalanches

Angola locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

Anguilla frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)

Antarctica katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may calve from ice shelf

Antigua and Barbuda hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts

Arctic Ocean ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May

Argentina San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding

Armenia occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Aruba hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened

Ashmore and Cartier Islands surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards

Atlantic Ocean icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September; hurricanes (May to December)

Australia cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

Austria landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

Azerbaijan droughts

Bahamas, The hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage

Bahrain periodic droughts; dust storms

Bangladesh droughts; cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season

Barbados infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Belarus NA

Belgium flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Belize frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)

Benin hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March

Bermuda hurricanes (June to November)

Bhutan violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season

Bolivia flooding in the northeast (March-April)

Bosnia and Herzegovina destructive earthquakes

Botswana periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility

Bouvet Island NA

Brazil recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south

British Indian Ocean Territory NA

British Virgin Islands hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)

Brunei typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Bulgaria earthquakes; landslides

Burkina Faso recurring droughts

Burma destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts

Burundi flooding; landslides; drought

Cambodia monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts

Cameroon volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Canada continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains

Cape Verde prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active

Cayman Islands hurricanes (July to November)

Central African Republic hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common

Chad hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues

Chile severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

China frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence

Christmas Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard

Clipperton Island NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands cyclone season is October to April

Colombia highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts

Comoros cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Karthala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Congo, Democratic Republic of the periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Congo, Republic of the seasonal flooding

Cook Islands typhoons (November to March)

Coral Sea Islands occasional tropical cyclones

Costa Rica occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes

Cote d'Ivoire coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible

Croatia destructive earthquakes

Cuba the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common

Cyprus moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Czech Republic flooding

Denmark flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes

Djibouti earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Dominica flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months

Dominican Republic lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts

Ecuador frequent earthquakes; landslides; volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts

Egypt periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes; flash floods; landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms; sandstorms

El Salvador known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes

Equatorial Guinea violent windstorms; flash floods

Eritrea frequent droughts; locust swarms

Estonia sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Ethiopia geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts

European Union flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) strong winds persist throughout the year

Faroe Islands NA

Fiji cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Finland NA

France metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding; volcanic activity (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion)

French Polynesia occasional cyclonic storms in January

French Southern and Antarctic Lands Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are inactive volcanoes; Iles Eparses subject to periodic cyclones; Bassas da India is a maritime hazard since it is under water for a period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and surrounded by reefs

Gabon NA

Gambia, The drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years)

Gaza Strip droughts

Georgia earthquakes

Germany flooding

Ghana dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts

Gibraltar NA

Greece severe earthquakes

Greenland continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Grenada lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November

Guam frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare but potentially destructive typhoons (June - December)

Guatemala numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms

Guernsey NA

Guinea hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season

Guinea-Bissau hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires

Guyana flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Haiti lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts

Heard Island and McDonald Islands Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island

Holy See (Vatican City) NA

Honduras frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast

Hong Kong occasional typhoons

Iceland earthquakes and volcanic activity

India droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

Indian Ocean occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches

Indonesia occasional floods; severe droughts; tsunamis; earthquakes; volcanoes; forest fires

Iran periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes

Iraq dust storms; sandstorms; floods

Ireland NA

Isle of Man NA

Israel sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes

Italy regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice

Jamaica hurricanes (especially July to November)

Jan Mayen dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985

Japan many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

Jersey NA

Jordan droughts; periodic earthquakes

Kazakhstan earthquakes in the south; mudslides around Almaty

Kenya recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Kiribati typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level

Korea, North late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall

Korea, South occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest

Kuwait sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year but are most common between March and August

Kyrgyzstan NA

Laos floods, droughts

Latvia NA

Lebanon dust storms, sandstorms

Lesotho periodic droughts

Liberia dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)