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
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 20,330 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 440 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 154

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Jersey
Area comparison map: slightly larger than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 1,068 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (6): Egypt 208 km, Gaza Strip 59 km, Jordan 307 km, Lebanon 81 km, Syria 83 km, West Bank 330 km

Coastline:
273 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]

Climate:
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
More Climate Details

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

Elevation:
mean elevation: 508 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -431 m highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

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

Land use:
agricultural land: 23.8% arable land 13.7%; permanent crops 3.8%; permanent pasture 6.3%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 7.1%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 69.1% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
2,250 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
population concentrated in and around Tel-Aviv, as well as around the Sea of Galilee; the south remains sparsely populated with the exception of the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba

Natural hazards:
sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
limited arable land and restricted natural freshwater resources; 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:
Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source; the Dead Sea is the second saltiest body of water in the world (after Lake Assal in Djibouti); in 2017, there were 422 settlements in the Israeli-occupied territories - 42 settlements in the Golan Heights, 380 sites in the occupied Palestinian territories to include 213 settlements and 132 outposts in the West Bank, and 35 settlements in East Jerusalem; there are no Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip, as all were evacuated in 2005 (2017)