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Saudi Arabia Geography 2013
http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/saudi_arabia/saudi_arabia_geography.html
SOURCE: 2013 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK AND OTHER SOURCES
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Page last updated on February 5, 2013

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: 2,149,690 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 13
land: 2,149,690 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 4,431 km
border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
2,640 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: not specified

Climate:
harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes
More Climate Details

Terrain:
mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Land use:
arable land: 1.67%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.09%
other: 98.24% (2005)

Irrigated land:
17,310 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
2.4 cu km (1997)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 17.32 cu km/yr (10%/1%/89%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 705 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:
frequent sand and dust storms
volcanism: despite many volcanic formations, there has been little activity in the past few centuries; volcanoes include Harrat Rahat, Harrat Khaybar, Harrat Lunayyir, and Jabal Yar

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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the world without a river; extensive coastlines on the Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through the Persian Gulf and Suez Canal


NOTE: The information regarding Saudi Arabia on this page is re-published from the 2013 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Saudi Arabia Geography 2013 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Saudi Arabia Geography 2013 should be addressed to the CIA.


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This page was last modified 22-Mar-13
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