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| Location | Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey | | | Geographic coordinates | 35 00 N, 38 00 E | | | Zone | Middle East | | | Area | total: 185,180 sq km
land: 184,050 sq km
water: 1,130 sq km
note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory | | | Land boundaries | total: 2,253 km
border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km | | | Coastline | 193 km | | | Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm | | | Climate | mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus | | | Terrain | primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west | | | Elevation extremes | lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m | | | Natural resources | petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower | | | Irrigated land | 193 km | | | Natural hazards | dust storms, sandstorms | | Environment -
current issues | deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water | | Environment -
international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification | | | Geography - note | there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 2005 est.) | |
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