Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 2%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 98%
Irrigated land: 50 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome
by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil
spills
natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not
ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
Geographic note: strategic location along southern approaches to
Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
People ———
Population: 3,057,337 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 542,848; female 519,952)
15-64 years: 64% (male 1,277,829; female 683,282)
65 years and over: 1% (male 22,246; female 11,180) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 4.33% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 26.43 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)