Location:
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian
Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
Geographic coordinates:
21 00 N, 57 00 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 212,460 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 212,460 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries:
total: 1,374 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
Coastline:
2,092 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:
dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong
southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
Terrain:
central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium,
gypsum, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 0.08%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 99.7% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
620 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in
interior; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited
natural fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of
Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil