| 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: |
total: 83,600 sq km
land: 83,600 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than Maine |
| Land boundaries: |
total: 867 km
border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km |
| Coastline: |
1,318 km |
| Maritime claims: |
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 |
| Climate: |
desert; cooler in eastern mountains |
| Terrain: |
flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east |
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m |
| Natural resources: |
petroleum, natural gas |
| Land use: |
arable land: 0.77%
permanent crops: 2.27%
other: 96.96% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: |
760 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: |
frequent sand and dust storms |
| Environment - current issues: |
lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills |
| Environment - international agreements: |
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 |
| Geography - note: |
strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil |
