Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Disputes: boundary with Qatar is in dispute; no defined boundary with Saudi Arabia; no defined boundary with most of Oman, but Administrative Line in far north; claims three islands in the Persian Gulf occupied by Iran (Jazireh-ye Abu Musa or Abu Musa, Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg or Greater Tunb, and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek or Lesser Tunb)
Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Terrain: flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
Natural resources: crude oil and natural gas
Land use: NEGL% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 2% meadows and pastures; NEGL% forest and woodland; 98% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: frequent dust and sand storms; lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by desalination plants; desertification
Note: strategic location along southern approaches to
Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
- People
Population: 2,253,624 (July 1990), growth rate 6.0% (1990)