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Saudi
Main Page
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Geography
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Location:
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Middle East, bordering the
Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen
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Geographic coordinates:
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25 00 N, 45 00 E
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Map references:
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Middle East
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Area:
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total: 2,149,690
sq km
country
comparison to the world: 14
land: 2,149,690
sq km
water: 0
sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more than one-fifth
the size of the US
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Land boundaries:
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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
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Coastline:
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2,640 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12
nm
contiguous zone: 18
nm
continental shelf: not
specified
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Climate:
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Weather
harsh, dry desert with great
temperature extremes
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Terrain:
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mostly uninhabited, sandy
desert
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Persian
Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal
Sawda' 3,133 m
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, iron
ore, gold, copper
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Land use:
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arable land: 1.67%
permanent crops: 0.09%
other: 98.24%
(2005)
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Irrigated land:
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16,200 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water
resources:
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2.4 cu km (1997)
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Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 17.32
cu km/yr (10%/1%/89%)
per capita: 705
cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural hazards:
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frequent sand and dust storms
volcanism: Despite
Saudi Arabia's many volcanic formations, there
has been little activity in the past few
centuries; volcanoes include Harrat Rahat,
Harrat Khaybar, Harrat Lunayyir, and Jabal Yar
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Environment - current
issues:
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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
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Environment -
international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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extensive coastlines on
Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage
on shipping (especially crude oil) through
Persian Gulf and Suez Canal
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