Page last updated on February 23,

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
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 154
land: 20,330 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 440 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]

Area - comparative:
slightly larger 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
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
273 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Climate:
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
More Climate Details

Terrain:
Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]

Natural resources:
timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand

Land use:
arable land: 15.45%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 3.88%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 80.67% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
2,250 sq km (2008)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
1.7 cu km (2001)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.05 cu km/yr (31%/7%/62%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 305 cu m/yr (2000)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
limited arable land and natural freshwater 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:
Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source; there are about 355 Israeli civilian sites including about 145 small outpost communities in the West Bank, 41 sites in the Golan Heights, and 32 in East Jerusalem (2010 est.)