highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m
Gibraltar: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m
Glorioso Islands: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 12 m
Greece: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m
Greenland: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m
Grenada: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m
Guadeloupe: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Soufriere 1,467 m
Guam: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m
Guatemala: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m
Guernsey: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m
Guinea: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Guinea-Bissau:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of thecountry 300 m
Guyana:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m
Haiti: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m
Heard Island and McDonald Islands: lowest point: Southern Ocean 0 m
highest point: Big Ben 2,745 m
Holy See (Vatican City): lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
highest point: unnamed location 75 m
Honduras: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
Hong Kong: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Howland Island: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m
Hungary: lowest point: Tisza River 78 m
highest point: Kekes 1,014 m
Iceland: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m
India: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m
Indian Ocean: lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
highest point: sea level 0 m
Indonesia: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m
Iran: lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Qolleh-ye Damavand 5,671 m
Iraq: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Haji Ibrahim 3,600 m
Ireland: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m
Israel: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m
Italy: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) 4,807 m
Jamaica: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m
Jan Mayen: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m
Japan: lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m
highest point: Fujiyama 3,776 m
Jarvis Island: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 7 m
Jersey: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m
Johnston Atoll: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Summit Peak 5 m
Jordan: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m
Juan de Nova Island: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 10 m
Kazakhstan: lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m
Kenya: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m
Kingman Reef: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 1 m
Kiribati: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m
Korea, North: lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m
Korea, South: lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m
Kuwait: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 306 m
Kyrgyzstan: lowest point: Kara-Darya 132 m
highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m
Laos: lowest point: Mekong River 70 m
highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m
Latvia: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m
Lebanon: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m
Lesotho:lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers1,400 m
highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Liberia: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
Libya: lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
Liechtenstein: lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m
Lithuania: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m
Luxembourg: lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m
Macau: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 174 m
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: lowest point: Vardar River 50 m
highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,753 m
Madagascar: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
Malawi:lowest point: junction of the Shire River and internationalboundary with Mozambique 37 m
highest point: Sapitwa 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 AdduAtoll 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)
Man, Isle of: lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
highest point: Snaefell 621 m
Marshall Islands: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m
Martinique: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m
Mauritania: lowest point: Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m
highest point: Kediet Ijill 910 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: Totolom 791 m
Midway Islands: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 13 m
Moldova: lowest point: Nistru (Dnister) 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
Montserrat: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills) 914 m
Morocco: lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
highest point: Jbel 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 (1999 est.)
Netherlands: lowest point: Prins Alexanderpolder -7 m
highest point: Vaalserberg 321 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: Mount Cook 3,764 m
Nicaragua: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m
Niger: lowest point: Niger River 200 m
highest point: Mont Greboun 1,944 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 Ngerchelchauus 242 m
Palmyra Atoll: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 2 m
Panama: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 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: 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 inthe Azores 2,351 m
Puerto Rico:lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m
Qatar: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m
Reunion: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 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 Helena: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 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 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: Soufriere 1,234 m
Samoa: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili 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
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 the 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 theSouth 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: Baltic Sea 0 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
Tajikistan: lowest point: Syrdariya 300 m
highest point: Pik Imeni Ismail Samani 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
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
Tromelin Island: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 7 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 -81.00 m; note -Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a waterlevel that fluctuates above and below the elevation of VpadinaAkchanaya (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: Fenland -4 m
highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m
United States: lowest point: Death Valley -86 m
highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 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: Ngoc Linh 3,143 m
Virgin Islands: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 474 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 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 location 463 m
World: lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)
Yemen: lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m
Yugoslavia: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Daravica 2,656 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
Taiwan: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Yu Shan 3,997 m
======================================================================
@Environment - current issues
Afghanistan:soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much ofthe remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and buildingmaterials); desertification
Albania:deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution fromindustrial and domestic effluents
Algeria:soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farmingpractices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleumrefining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to thepollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, inparticular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, andfertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water
American Samoa:limited natural fresh water resources; the waterdivision of the government has spent substantial funds in the pastfew years to improve water catchments and pipelines
Andorra:deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributesto soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid wastedisposal
Angola:overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributableto population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropicalrain forest, in response to both international demand for tropicaltimber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss ofbiodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution andsiltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water
Anguilla:supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasingdemand largely because of poor distribution system
Antarctica:in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the antarcticozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million squarekilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultravioletlight coming through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, anantarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shownto harm one-celled antarctic marine plants
Antigua and Barbuda:water management - a major concern because oflimited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by theclearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall torun off quickly
Arctic Ocean:endangered marine species include walruses and whales;fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover fromdisruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack
Argentina:environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of anindustrializing economy such as soil degradation, desertification,air pollution, and water pollution
note: Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhousegas targets
Armenia:soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; energyblockade, the result of conflict with Azerbaijan, has led todeforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution ofHrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich (LakeSevan), a result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatensdrinking water supplies; restart of Metsamor nuclear power plantwithout adequate (IAEA-recommended) safety and backup systems
Aruba:NA
Ashmore and Cartier Islands:NA
Atlantic Ocean:endangered marine species include the manatee,seals, sea lions, turtles, and whales; drift net fishing ishastening the decline of fish stocks and contributing tointernational disputes; municipal sludge pollution off eastern US,southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in CaribbeanSea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and NorthSea; industrial waste and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea,North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea
Australia:soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development,urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising dueto the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing foragricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many uniqueanimal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeastcoast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened byincreased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limitednatural fresh water resources
Austria:some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution;soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; airpollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired powerstations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austriabetween northern and southern Europe
Azerbaijan:local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi(Apsheron Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the CaspianSea to be the ecologically most devastated area in the world becauseof severe air, water, and soil pollution; soil pollution resultsfrom the use of DDT as a pesticide and also from toxic defoliantsused in the production of cotton
Bahamas, The:coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
Bahrain:desertification resulting from the degradation of limitedarable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastaldegradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation)resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers,oil refineries, and distribution stations; no natural fresh waterresources so that groundwater and sea water are the only sources forall water needs
Baker Island:no natural fresh water resources
Bangladesh:many people are landless and forced to live on andcultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent insurface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, resultsfrom the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated bynaturally-occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because offalling water tables in the northern and central parts of thecountry; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severeoverpopulation
Barbados:pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships;soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contaminationof aquifers
Bassas da India:NA
Belarus:soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of thecountry contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accidentat Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine
Belgium:the environment is exposed to intense pressures from humanactivities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry,intense animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and waterpollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (nowresolved) have impeded progress in tackling environmental challenges
Belize:deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrialeffluents, agricultural runoff; solid waste disposal
Benin:inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatenswildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
Bermuda:asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of openspace
Bhutan:soil erosion; limited access to potable water
Bolivia:the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and theinternational demand for tropical timber are contributing todeforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivationmethods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification;loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies usedfor drinking and irrigation
Bosnia and Herzegovina: air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife
Botswana:overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources
Bouvet Island:NA
Brazil:deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat andendangers the existence of a multitude of plant and animal speciesindigenous to the area; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro,Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land degradation andwater pollution caused by improper mining activities
note: President CARDOSO in September 1999 signed into force an environmental crime bill which for the first time defines pollution and deforestation as crimes punishable by stiff fines and jail sentences
British Indian Ocean Territory:NA
British Virgin Islands: limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchment)
Brunei:seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
Bulgaria:air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers pollutedfrom raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forestdamage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soilcontamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants andindustrial wastes
Burkina Faso:recent droughts and desertification severely affectingagricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy;overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation
Burma:deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water;inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease
Burundi:soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansionof agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forestedland remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel);habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
Cambodia:illegal logging activities throughout the country andstrip mining for gems in the western region along the border withThailand have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity(in particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens naturalfisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, a majority of thepopulation does not have access to potable water; toxic wastedelivery from Taiwan sparked unrest in Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville)in December 1998
Cameroon:water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation;overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing
Canada:air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affectinglakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities,and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forestproductivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due toagricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities
Cape Verde:overgrazing of livestock and improper land use such asthe cultivation of crops on steep slopes has led to soil erosion;demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in deforestation;desertification; environmental damage has threatened several speciesof birds and reptiles; overfishing
Cayman Islands:no natural fresh water resources; drinking watersupplies must be met by rainwater catchment
Central African Republic:tap water is not potable; poaching hasdiminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges;desertification; deforestation
Chad:inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposalin rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution;desertification
Chile:air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; waterpollution from raw sewage
China:air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates)from reliance on coal, produces acid rain; water shortages,particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes;deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural landsince 1949 to soil erosion and economic development;desertification; trade in endangered species
Christmas Island:NA
Clipperton Island:NA
Cocos (Keeling) Islands:fresh water resources are limited torainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs
Colombia:deforestation; soil damage from overuse of pesticides; airpollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions
Comoros:soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivationon slopes without proper terracing; deforestation
Congo, Democratic Republic of the: poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees who arrived in mid-1994 were responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching in the eastern part of the country (most of those refugees were repatriated in November and December 1996)
Congo, Republic of the: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation
Cook Islands:NA
Coral Sea Islands:no permanent fresh water resources
Costa Rica:deforestation and land use change, largely a result ofthe clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soilerosion; water pollution (rivers); coastal marine pollution;wetlands degradation; fisheries protection; solid waste management;air pollution
Cote d'Ivoire:deforestation (most of the country's forests - oncethe largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); waterpollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents
Croatia:air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resultingacid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrialand domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction ofinfrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife
Cuba:pollution of Havana Bay; overhunting threatens wildlifepopulations; deforestation
Cyprus:water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments,seasonal disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island'slargest aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollutionfrom sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss ofwildlife habitats from urbanization
Czech Republic:air and water pollution in areas of northwestBohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks;acid rain damaging forests
Denmark:air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plantemissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea;drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes andpesticides
Djibouti:inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification
Dominica:NA
Dominican Republic:water shortages; soil eroding into the seadamages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage
Ecuador:deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; waterpollution; pollution from oil production wastes
Egypt:agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblownsands; increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam;desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, andmarine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides,raw sewage, and industrial effluents; very limited natural freshwater resources away from the Nile which is the only perennial watersource; rapid growth in population overstraining natural resources
El Salvador:deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution;contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes; HurricaneMitch damage
Equatorial Guinea:tap water is not potable; desertification
Eritrea:deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing;loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
Estonia:air heavily polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shaleburning power plants in northeast; contamination of soil andgroundwater with petroleum products, chemicals at former Sovietmilitary bases; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmadelakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas are heavilyaffected by organic waste; coastal sea water is polluted in manylocations
Ethiopia:deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Europa Island:NA
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas):NA
Faroe Islands:NA
Fiji:deforestation; soil erosion
Finland:air pollution from manufacturing and power plantscontributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes,agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
France:some forest damage from acid rain (major forest damageoccurred as a result of severe December 1999 windstorm); airpollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollutionfrom urban wastes, agricultural runoff
French Guiana:NA
French Polynesia:NA
French Southern and Antarctic Lands:NA
Gabon:deforestation; poaching
Gambia, The:deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseasesprevalent
Gaza Strip:desertification; salination of fresh water; sewagetreatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation
Georgia:air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution ofMtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potablewater; soil pollution from toxic chemicals
Germany:emissions from coal-burning utilities and industriescontribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfurdioxide emissions, is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Seafrom raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in easternGermany; hazardous waste disposal; government currently attemptingto define mechanism for ending the use of nuclear power; governmentworking to meet EU commitment to identify nature preservation areasin line with the EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat directive
Ghana:recent drought in north severely affecting agriculturalactivities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching andhabitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution;inadequate supplies of potable water
Gibraltar:limited natural freshwater resources; large concrete ornatural rock water catchments collect rainwater
Glorioso Islands:NA
Greece:air pollution; water pollution
Greenland:protection of the arctic environment; preservation of theInuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting
Grenada:NA
Guadeloupe:NA
Guam:extirpation of native bird population by the rapidproliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic species
Guatemala:deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; HurricaneMitch damage
Guernsey:NA
Guinea:deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing,overpopulation in forest region
Guinea-Bissau:deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
Guyana:water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrialchemicals; deforestation
Haiti:extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested landis being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;inadequate supplies of potable water
Heard Island and McDonald Islands:NA
Holy See (Vatican City):NA
Honduras:urban population expanding; deforestation results fromlogging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; furtherland degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolleddevelopment and improper land use practices such as farming ofmarginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (thecountry's largest source of fresh water) as well as several riversand streams with heavy metals; severe Hurricane Mitch damage
Hong Kong:air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
Howland Island:no natural fresh water resources
Hungary:the approximation of Hungary's standards in wastemanagement, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollutionwith environmental requirements for EU accession will require largeinvestments
Iceland:water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequatewastewater treatment
India:deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification;air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; waterpollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tapwater is not potable throughout the country; huge and growingpopulation is overstraining natural resources
Indian Ocean:endangered marine species include the dugong, seals,turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf,and Red Sea
Indonesia:deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes,sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forestfires
Iran:air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicleemissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents;deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in thePersian Gulf; inadequate supplies of potable water
Iraq:government water control projects have drained most of theinhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or divertingthe feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Shi'aMuslims, who have inhabited these areas for thousands of years, hasbeen displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitatposes serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequatesupplies of potable water; development of Tigris-Euphrates Riverssystem contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; airand water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and erosion;desertification
Ireland:water pollution, especially of lakes, from agriculturalrunoff
Israel:limited arable land and natural fresh water resources poseserious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrialand vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial anddomestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides
Italy:air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfurdioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial andagricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequateindustrial waste treatment and disposal facilities
Jamaica:heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted byindustrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; airpollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions
Jan Mayen:NA
Japan:air pollution from power plant emissions results in acidrain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water qualityand threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumersof fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of theseresources in Asia and elsewhere
Jarvis Island:no natural fresh water resources
Jersey:NA
Johnston Atoll:no natural fresh water resources
Jordan:limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation;overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Juan de Nova Island:NA
Kazakhstan:radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with itsformer defense industries and test ranges are found throughout thecountry and pose health risks for humans and animals; industrialpollution is severe in some cities; because the two main riverswhich flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, itis drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of chemicalpesticides and natural salts; these substances are then picked up bythe wind and blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in theCaspian Sea; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicalsand salination from poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigationpractices
Kenya:water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradationof water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers;water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soilerosion; desertification; poaching
Kingman Reef:none
Kiribati:heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due toheavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoonlatrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk
Korea, North:water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water;water-borne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation
Korea, South:air pollution in large cities; acid rain; waterpollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents;drift net fishing
Kuwait:limited natural fresh water resources; some of world'slargest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide muchof the water; air and water pollution; desertification
Kyrgyzstan:water pollution; many people get their water directlyfrom contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-bornediseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faultyirrigation practices
Laos:unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majorityof the population does not have access to potable water
Latvia:air and water pollution because of a lack of wasteconversion equipment; Gulf of Riga and Daugava River heavilypolluted; contamination of soil and groundwater with chemicals andpetroleum products at military bases
Lebanon:deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollutionin Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrialwastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills
Lesotho:population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areasresults in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion;desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, andredirects water to South Africa
Liberia:tropical rain forest subject to deforestation; soilerosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oilresidue and raw sewage
Libya:desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources;the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water developmentscheme in the world, is being built to bring water from largeaquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities