United Arab Emirates Geography Profile 2008

Location

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates

24 00 N, 54 00 E

Map references

Middle East

Area

total: 83,600 sq km
land: 83,600 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries

total: 867 km
border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

Coastline

1,318 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate

desert; cooler in eastern mountains

Terrain

flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas

Land use

arable land: 0.77%
permanent crops: 2.27%
other: 96.96% (2005)

Irrigated land

760 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources

0.2 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 2.3 cu km/yr (23%/9%/68%)
per capita: 511 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues

lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note

strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil