Geography of Saudi Arabia

Geography of Saudi Arabia
Continent	Asia
Region	West Asia
Coordinates	25°00′N 45°00′E / 25.000°N 45.000°E
Area	Ranked 12th
• Total	2,149,690 km2 (830,000 sq mi)
• Land	100%
• Water	0%
Coastline	2,640 km (1,640 mi)
Borders	Total: 4,415 km (2,743 mi)
Highest point	Jabal Sawda,; 3,015 m (9,892 ft)
Lowest point	Persian Gulf, Red Sea; 0 m (0 ft)
Longest river	Wadi al-Rummah ; 600 km (373 mi)
Largest lake	Al-Asfar Lake ; 20,000 ha (49,421 acres)
Climate	Most of Saudi Arabia follows a desert climate, with exceptions
Terrain	Mostly desert covered, some mountainous areas and plains
Natural resources	Petroleum, natural gas, fish, minerals, farming
Natural hazards	Haze, dust storms
Environmental issues	Desertification; depletion of ground water; lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies; coastal pollution from oil spills
Exclusive economic zone	228,633 km2 (88,276 sq mi)

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a country situated in West Asia, the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. Its extensive coastlines provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through the Persian Gulf and the Suez Canal. The kingdom occupies 80% of the Arabian Peninsula. Most of the country's boundaries with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, and the Republic of Yemen are undefined, so the exact size of the country remains unknown.^{[citation needed]} The Saudi government estimate is at 2,217,949 square kilometres, while other reputable estimates vary between 2,149,690 and 2,240,000 sq. kilometres. Less than 7% of the total area is suitable for cultivation, and in the early 1960s, population distribution varied greatly among the towns of the eastern and western coastal areas, the densely populated interior oases, and the vast, almost empty deserts.