United Arab Emirates Geography - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Location

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates

24 00 N, 54 00 E

Map references

Middle East

Area

total: 83,600 sq km

land: 83,600 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than South Carolina; slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries

total: 1,066 km

border countries (2): Oman 609 km; Saudi Arabia 457 km

Coastline

1,318 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate

desert; cooler in eastern mountains

Terrain

flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert; mountains in east

Elevation

highest point: Jabal Bil 'Ays 1,905 m

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

mean elevation: 149 m

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas

Land use

agricultural land: 4.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 0.5% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 3.6% (2018 est.)

forest: 3.8% (2018 est.)

other: 91.6% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land

898 sq km (2020)

Population distribution

population is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula; the three largest emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah - are home to nearly 85% of the population

Natural hazards

frequent sand and dust storms

Geography - note

strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) together account for over 90% of the area of the country and two-thirds of the population

NOTE: The information regarding United Arab Emirates on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of United Arab Emirates 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about United Arab Emirates 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.