Location:

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel

Geographic coordinates:

31 25 N, 34 20 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 360 sq km
land: 360 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 62 km
border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Coastline:

40 km

Maritime claims:

Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation

Climate:

temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Terrain:

flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Natural resources:

arable land, natural gas

Land use:

arable land: 29%
permanent crops: 21%
other: 50% (2002)

Irrigated land:

150 sq km; note - includes West Bank (2003)

Natural hazards:

droughts

Environment - current issues:

desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination of underground water resources

Geography - note:

strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history