Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: territorial dispute with Qatar over the Hawar
Islands; maritime boundary with Qatar
Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain: mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 0% other: 90%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: desertification resulting from the degradation of
limited arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal
degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation)
resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil
refineries, and distribution stations; no natural fresh water
resources so that groundwater and sea water are the only sources for
all water needs
natural hazards: periodic droughts; dust storms
international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified -
Biodiversity
Note: close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf through which much of Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean
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