|
GEOGRAPHY
|
|
|
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:
82,880 sq km
land: 82,880 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:
|
|
contiguous
zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental
margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm |
|
Climate:
|
|
desert;
cooler in eastern mountains |
|
Terrain:
|
|
flat,
barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert
wasteland; mountains in east |
|
Land
Use:
|
|
arable
land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 98% (1993 est.) |
|
Irrigated
Land :
|
|
50
sq km (1993 est.) |
|
Natural
Hazards:
|
|
frequent
sand and dust storms |
|
Environment
- Current Issues:
|
|
lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by desalination
plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills |
|
Environment
- International Agreements:
|
|
party
to: Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not
ratified: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea |
