Basic Country Facts

Geography Location: Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia Geographic coordinates: 25 30 N, 51 15 E Map references: Middle East Area: total area: 11,000 sq km land area: 11,000 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut Land boundaries: total: 60 km border country: Saudi Arabia 60 km Coastline: 563 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: territorial dispute with Bahrain over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Bahrain; 1965 boundary with Saudi Arabia, renegotiated and revised in 1992, but not official depiction Climate: desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Aba al Bawl 103 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 5% forest and woodland: 0% other: 95% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common international agreements: signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea Geographic note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits