Page last updated on December 17, 2013

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
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 115
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
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
1,318 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

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
More Climate Details

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
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas

Land use:
arable land: 0.61%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.5%
other: 98.9% (2011)

Irrigated land:
920 sq km (2010)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
0.15 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 3.99 cu km/yr (15%/2%/83%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 739.5 cu m/yr (2005)

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