| Geography | Israel |
 = Fields  = World Records  = Dictionary  = Bar graph  = Distribution map  = Fields History  = Definitions |
|
|
|
|
|
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
land: 20,330 sq km
water: 440 sq km |
Area - comparative:
|
slightly smaller than New Jersey |
Land boundaries:
|
total: 1,017 km
border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km |
Coastline:
|
273 km |
Maritime claims:
|
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: to depth of exploitation |
Climate:
|
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas |
Terrain:
|
Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley |
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m |
Natural resources:
|
timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand |
Land use:
|
arable land: 15.45%
permanent crops: 3.88%
other: 80.67% (2005) |
Irrigated land:
|
1,940 sq km (2003) |
Total renewable water resources:
|
1.7 cu km (2001) |
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
|
Total: 2.05 cu km/yr (31%/7%/62%)
Per capita: 305 cu m/yr (2000) |
Natural hazards:
|
sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes |
Environment - current issues:
|
limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; 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:
|
there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 0 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (August 2005 est.); Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source |
|
= Fields = World Records = Dictionary = Bar graph = Distribution map = Fields History = Definitions |
|
Home 
Geographic Names
Chiefs of State
Intl. Organizations
Intl. Environmental Agree.
Other References
