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
water: 0 sq km
land: 1,960,582 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US |
| Land boundaries: | total: 4,431 km
border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km |
| Coastline: | 2,640 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: not specified |
| Climate: | harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes |
| 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: 1.67%
permanent crops: 0.09%
other: 98.24% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | 16,200 sq km (1998 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: Biodiversity, 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
Source: CIA World Factbook
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