Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
Geographic coordinates:
31 30 N, 34 45 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
Area - comparative: Land boundaries:
Coastline: Maritime claims:
Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: Land use:
Irrigated land: Total renewable water resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note:
total:
20,770 sq km
country comparison to the world: 154
land:
20,330 sq km
water:
440 sq km
Area comparison map:
total:
1,068 km
border countries:
Egypt 208 km, Gaza Strip 59 km, Jordan 307 km, Lebanon 81 km, Syria 83 km, West Bank 330 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
273 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea:
12 nm
continental shelf:
to depth of exploitation
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
More Climate Details
Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley
lowest point:
Dead Sea -408 m
highest point:
Har Meron 1,208 m
timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand
arable land:
13.68%
permanent crops:
3.69%
other:
82.62% (2011)
2,250 sq km (2004)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
1.78 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total:
1.95 cu km/yr (39%/6%/55%)
per capita:
282.4 cu m/yr (2009)
sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes
limited arable land and natural freshwater resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Marine Life Conservation
Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source; the Dead Sea is the second saltiest body of water in the world (after Lake Assal in Djibouti); there are about 355 Israeli civilian sites including about 145 small outpost communities in the West Bank, 41 sites in the Golan Heights, and 32 in East Jerusalem (2010 est.)