Short facts about the 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: 1,960,582 sq km
land: 1,960,582 sq
km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area -
comparative: |
slightly more than one-fifth the size
of the US |
| Land
boundaries: |
total: 4,415 km
border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 728 km,
Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458
km |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous zone:
18 NM
continental shelf: not
specified
territorial sea: 12
NM |
| Climate: |
harsh, dry desert with great extremes
of temperature |
| 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: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures:
56%
forests and woodland: 1%
other: 41% (1993
est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
4,350 sq km (1993
est.) |
| 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: Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
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 | Source: World Factbook |
