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
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 83,600 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 116

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than South Carolina; slightly smaller than Maine
Area comparison map: slightly larger than South Carolina; slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries:
total: 1,066 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (2): Oman 609 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

Coastline:
1,318 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
contiguous zone: 24 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - contiguous zone country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]

Climate:
desert; cooler in eastern mountains
More Climate Details

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

Elevation:
mean elevation: 149 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas

Land use:
agricultural land: 4.6% arable land 0.5%; permanent crops 0.5%; permanent pasture 3.6%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 3.8%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 91.6% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
923 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
population is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula; the three largest emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah - are home to nearly 85% of the population

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