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: 70
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land:
309,500 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water:
0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
slightly smaller than Kansas
total: 1,374 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries:
Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
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
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point:
Jabal Shams 2,980 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]
petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
arable land: 0.12%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops:
0.14%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other:
99.74% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]
720 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
1 cu km (1997)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total: 1.36 cu km/yr (7%/2%/90%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita:
529 cu m/yr (2000)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]
summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; limited natural fresh water 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