Israel Geography Profile 2009

Location

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon

Geographic coordinates

31 30 N, 34 45 E

Map references

Middle East

Area

total: 22,072 sq km
land: 21,642 sq km
water: 430 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than New Jersey

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

territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Climate

temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Terrain

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

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Natural resources

timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand

Land use

arable land: 15.45%
permanent crops: 3.88%
other: 80.67% (2005)

Irrigated land

1,940 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources

1.7 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 2.05 cu km/yr (31%/7%/62%)
per capita: 305 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

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

Environment - current issues

limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note

there are about 340 Israeli civilian sites - including 100 small outpost communities in the West Bank - as well as 42 sites in the Golan Heights, 0 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (July 2008 est.); Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source