Location:
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:
24 00 N, 54 00 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area: Area - comparative: Land boundaries: Coastline: Maritime claims: Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes: Natural resources: Land use: Irrigated land: Total renewable water resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements: Geography - note:
total: 83,600 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 115
land:
83,600 sq km
water:
0 sq km
slightly smaller than Maine
total: 867 km
border countries:
Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
1,318 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone:
24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
desert; cooler in eastern mountains
More Climate Details
flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point:
Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
petroleum, natural gas
arable land: 0.77%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops:
2.27%
other:
96.96% (2005)
2,300 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
0.2 cu km (1997)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total: 2.3 cu km/yr (23%/9%/68%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita:
511 cu m/yr (2000)
frequent sand and dust storms
lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil