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:
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:
309,500 sq km
country comparison to the world: 71
land:
309,500 sq km
water:
0 sq km
slightly smaller than Kansas
total:
1,573 km
border countries:
Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 609 km, Yemen 288 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
2,092 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea:
12 nm
contiguous zone:
24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
More Climate Details
central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
lowest point:
Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point:
Jabal Shams 2,980 m
petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
arable land:
0.1%
permanent crops:
0.12%
other:
99.77% (2011)
588.5 sq km (2004)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
1.4 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total:
1.32 cu km/yr (10%/1%/88%)
per capita:
515.8 cu m/yr (2003)
summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; limited natural freshwater resources
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil