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: 20,770 sq km
water: 440 sq km
land: 20,330 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
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; 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: 17%
permanent crops: 4%
other: 79% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 1,990 sq km (1998 est.)

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note there are 231 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 25 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (August 2001 est.); Sea of Galilee is an important freshwater source

NOTE: The information regarding Israel on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Israel Geography 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Israel Geography 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.