Saudi Arabia Geography 1997

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 lackof perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the developmentof extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oilspills

Environment - international agreements
party to: Climate Change, 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 leverageon shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

NOTE: The information regarding Saudi Arabia on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Saudi Arabia Geography 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Saudi Arabia Geography 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.