Geography of Kuwait
Location: | Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia |
Geographic coordinates: | 29 30 N, 45 45 E |
Map references: | Middle East |
Area: | total: 17,820 sq km land: 17,820 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than New Jersey |
Land boundaries: | total: 462 km border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km |
Coastline: | 499 km |
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm |
Climate: | dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters |
Terrain: | flat to slightly undulating desert plain |
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed location 306 m |
Natural resources: | petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas |
Land use: | arable land: 0.84% permanent crops: 0.17% other: 98.99% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | 130 sq km (2003) |
Natural hazards: | sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August |
Environment - current issues: | limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification |
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping |
Geography - note: | strategic location at head of Persian Gulf |