Geography

Location

Southwest Asia, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon

Geographic coordinates

31° 30' N, 34° 45' E

Map references

Southwest Asia

Area

Total: 20,770 km²

Land: 20,330 km²
Water: 440 km²

Land boundaries

Total:

1,017 km

Border countries:

Egypt 266 km,
Gaza Strip 51 km,
Jordan 238 km,
Lebanon 79 km,
Syria 76 km,
West Bank 307 km

Coastline

273 km

Maritime claims

Continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

Temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Terrain

Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Great Rift Valley

Elevation extremes

Lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
Highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Natural resources

Copper, phosphates, bromide, potash, clay, sand, sulfur, asphalt, manganese, small amounts of natural gas and crude oil

Land use

Arable land: 17.02%
Permanent crops: 4.17%
Other: 78.81% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land

2'000 km² (2003 est.)

Natural hazards

Sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes