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| Location: |
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
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| Geographic coordinates: |
31 30 N, 34 45 E
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| Map references: |
Middle East
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| Area: |
total:
20,770 sq km
land:
20,330 sq km
water:
440 sq km
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| Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than New Jersey
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| Land boundaries: |
total:
1,006 km
border countries:
Egypt 255 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km
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| Maritime claims: |
continental shelf:
to depth of exploitation
territorial sea:
12 NM
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| Climate: |
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
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| Terrain: |
Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley
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| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Dead Sea -408 m
highest point:
Har Meron 1,208 m
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| Natural resources: |
timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand, oil
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| Land use: |
arable land:
17%
permanent crops:
4%
permanent pastures:
7%
forests and woodland:
6%
other:
66% (1993 est.)
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| Irrigated land: |
1,800 sq km (1993 est.)
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| Natural hazards: |
sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts
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| Environment - current issues: |
limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides
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| Environment - international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
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| Geography - note: |
there are 231 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 25 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (August 2000 est.)
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