United Arab Emirates Geography - 2024

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

Area comparison map:

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