Geography of Saudi Arabia
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: 2,149,690 sq km land: 2,149,690 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative: | slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US |
Land boundaries: | total: 4,431 km border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km |
Coastline: | 2,640 km |
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified |
Climate: | harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes |
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: 1.67% permanent crops: 0.09% other: 98.24% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | 16,200 sq km (2003) |
Natural hazards: | frequent sand and dust storms |
Environment - current issues: | desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills |
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography - note: | extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal |