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Geography of Israel

This article describes the geography of Israel.

; Location:

Southwest Asia, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
; Geographic coordinates:
31° 30′ N, 34° 45′ E
; Map references:
Southwest Asia
; Area:
Land: 20,330 km²
Water: 440 km²
; 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:
  • Continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
Territorial sea: 12 nm
; Climate:
Temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
; Terrain:
Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Great Rift Valley
; Elevation extremes:
Highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m
; Natural resources:
Copper, phosphates, bromide, potash, clay, sand, sulfur, asphalt, manganese, small amounts of natural gas and crude oil
; Land use:
  • Arable land: 17.02%
Permanent crops: 4.17%
Other: 78.81% (1998 est.)
; Irrigated land:
1,990 kmē (1998 est.)
; 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
Signed, but not ratified: Kyoto Protocol, 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, 25 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (February 2002 est.); Sea of Galilee is an important freshwater source

Other geographic features