Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and
Kuwait

33 00 N, 44 00 E

Middle East

total: 437,072 sq km
land: 432,162 sq km
water: 4,910 sq km

slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

total: 3,631 km
border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 242 km, Saudi
Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 331 km

58 km

continental shelf: not specified
territorial sea: 12 nm

mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless
summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish
borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that
melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central
and southern Iraq

mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in
south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and
Turkey

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Haji Ibrahim 3,600 m

petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 9%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 79% (1993 est.)

25,500 sq km (1993 est.)

dust storms, sandstorms, floods

government water control projects have
drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by
drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable
population of Shi'a Muslims, who have inhabited these areas for
thousands of years, has been displaced; furthermore, the destruction
of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the area's wildlife
populations; inadequate supplies of potable water; development of
Tigris-Euphrates Rivers system contingent upon agreements with
upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation
(salination) and erosion; desertification

party to: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification