| Location : |
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon |
| Geographic Coordinates : |
31 30 N, 34 45 E |
| Map References : |
Middle East |
| Area : |
total: 20,770 sq km
land: 20,330 sq km
water: 440 sq km |
| Area - Comparative : |
slightly smaller than New Jersey |
| Land Boundaries : |
total: 1,017 km
border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km |
| Coastline : |
273 km |
| Maritime Claims : |
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: to depth of exploitation |
| Climate : |
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas |
| Terrain : |
Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley |
| Elevation Extremes : |
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m |
| Natural Resources : |
timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand |
| Land Use : |
arable land: 16.39%
permanent crops: 4.17%
other: 79.44% (2001) |
| Irrigated Land : |
1,990 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural Hazards : |
sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes |
| Environment - Current Issues : |
limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides |
| Environment - International Agreements : |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation |
| Geography - Note : |
There are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 25 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (February 2002 est.); Sea of Galilee is an important freshwater source. |
