| 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
land:
1,960,582 sq km
water:
0 sq km
|
| Area - comparative: |
slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US
|
| Land boundaries: |
total:
4,415 km
border countries:
Iraq 814 km, Jordan 728 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km
|
| Maritime claims: |
contiguous zone:
18 NM
continental shelf:
not specified
territorial sea:
12 NM
|
| Climate: |
harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature
|
| 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:
2%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
56%
forests and woodland:
1%
other:
41% (1993 est.)
|
| Irrigated land: |
4,350 sq km (1993 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:
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
|
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