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| Location: |
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
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| Geographic coordinates: |
21 00 N, 57 00 E
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| Map references: |
Middle East
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| Area: |
total:
212,460 sq km
land:
212,460 sq km
water:
0 sq km
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| Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than Kansas
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| Land boundaries: |
total:
1,374 km
border countries:
Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
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| Maritime claims: |
contiguous zone:
24 NM
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM
territorial sea:
12 NM
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| Climate: |
dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
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| Terrain: |
central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
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| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point:
Jabal Shams 2,980 m
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| Natural resources: |
petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
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| Land use: |
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
5%
forests and woodland:
0%
other:
95% (1993 est.)
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| Irrigated land: |
580 sq km (1993 est.)
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| Natural hazards: |
summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
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| Environment - current issues: |
rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources
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| Environment - international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
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| Geography - note: |
strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
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