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
land:1,960,582 sq km
water:0 sq km

Area - comparative  slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Land boundaries  total:4,415 km
border countries:Iraq 814 km, Jordan 728 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Coastline  2,640 km

Maritime claims  contiguous zone:18 nm
continental shelf:not specified
territorial sea:12 nm

Climate  harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature

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:2%
permanent crops:0%
permanent pastures:56%
forests and woodland:1%
other:41% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land  4,350 sq km (1993 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: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