|
Location:
|
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen
|
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
25 00 N, 45 00 E
|
|
Map references:
|
Middle East
|
|
Area:
|
total: 1,960,582 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1,960,582 sq km
|
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US
|
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 4,431 km
border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km
|
|
Coastline:
|
2,640 km
|
|
Maritime claims:
|
contiguous zone: 18 NM
continental shelf: not specified
territorial sea: 12 NM
|
|
Climate:
|
harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes
|
|
Terrain:
|
mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
|
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m
|
|
Natural resources:
|
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper
|
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 1.72%
permanent crops: 0.06%
other: 98.22% (1998 est.)
|
|
Irrigated land:
|
16,200 sq km (1998 est.)
|
|
Natural hazards:
|
frequent sand and dust storms
|
|
Environment - current issues:
|
desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills
|
|
Environment - international agreements:
|
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
|
|
Geography - note:
|
extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal
|
