Geography of Israel

From Academic Kids Online Encyclopedia

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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 (http://kvaleberg.com/extensions/mapsources/index.php?params=31_30_N_34_45_E_type:country)

Map references

Southwest Asia

Area

Total: 20,770 km�
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

Lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
Highest point: Har Meron 1,208 mM for people not recognizing annexion of the Golan Height; Har Hermon 2,248 m in Golan for people recognizing the annexion.

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 km� (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.

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Extreme points

Northernmost point - the tripoint with Syria and Lebanon, Golan Heights ¹

Easternmost point - an unnamed location on the border with Syria ²

Southernmost point - the point at which the Israel-Egypt border enters the Gulf of Aqaba, east of Taba, Egypt
Westernmost point - Tall Rafah, the point at which the Israel/Gaza-Egypt border enters the Mediterranean sea³

¹ If the Golan Heights region is not considered part of Israel, then an unnamed location on the Lebanese border (the Blue Line), immediately to the north of Metulla, is Israel's northernmost point.

² If the Golan Heights region is not considered part of Israel, then an unnamed location on the border with Syria west of Qela is Israel's easternmost point

³ If the Gaza Strip is not considered part of Israel, then Kerem Shalom crossing, the Egypt-Israel-Gaza tripoint, is Israel's westernmost point.

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