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| Location | Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon | | | Geographic coordinates | 31 30 N, 34 45 E | | | Zone | Middle East | | | Area | total: 20,770 sq km
land: 20,330 sq km
water: 440 sq km | | | 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 | | | Irrigated land | 273 km | | | 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 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 0 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (August 2005 est.); Sea of Galilee is an important freshwater source | |
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