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Location:
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Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel
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Geographic coordinates:
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31 25 N, 34 20 E
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Map references:
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Middle East
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Area:
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total: 360 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 360 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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total: 62 km
border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km
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Coastline:
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40 km
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Maritime claims:
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Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation
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Climate:
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temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers
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Terrain:
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flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m
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Natural resources:
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arable land, natural gas
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Land use:
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arable land: 26.32%
permanent crops: 39.47%
other: 34.21% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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120 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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droughts
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Environment - current issues:
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desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination of underground water resources
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Geography - note:
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there are 25 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Gaza Strip (February 2002 est.)
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