Total area: 2,149,690 km2
land area: 2,149,690 km2

Comparative area: slightly less than one-fourth the size of US

Land boundaries: 4,410 km total
Iraq 488 km, Iraq-Saudi Arabia Neutral Zone 198 km, Jordan 742 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 40 km, UAE 586 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Coastline: 2,510 km

Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 18 nm
Continental shelf: not specific
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Disputes: no defined boundaries with Yemen and UAE; shares Neutral Zone with Iraq--in December 1981, Iraq and Saudi Arabia signed a boundary agreement that divides the zone between them, but the agreement must be ratified before it becomes effective; Kuwaiti ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim Islands is disputed by Saudi Arabia

Climate: harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature

Terrain: mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 39%; forest and woodland 1%; other 59%; includes irrigated NEGL%

Environment: no perennial rivers or permanent water bodies; developing extensive coastal seawater desalination facilities; desertification

Note: extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

NOTE: The information regarding Saudi Arabia on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Saudi Arabia Geography 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Saudi Arabia Geography 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.