top and bottom edges of the flag

Geography
---------

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Egypt and Lebanon

Geographic coordinates: 31 30 N, 34 45 E

Map references: Middle East

Area:
total area: 20,770 sq km
land area: 20,330 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 1,006 km
border countries: Egypt 255 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

International disputes: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli
occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian
Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through
further negotiation; Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; Israeli
troops in southern Lebanon since June 1982

Climate: temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert
areas

Terrain: Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central
mountains; Jordan Rift Valley
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Natural resources: copper, phosphates, bromide, potash, clay,
sand, sulfur, asphalt, manganese, small amounts of natural gas and
crude oil

Land use:
arable land: 17%
permanent crops: 5%
meadows and pastures: 40%
forest and woodland: 6%
other: 32%

Irrigated land: 2,140 sq km (1989)

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
natural hazards: sandstorms may occur during spring and summer
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change,
Desertification, Marine Life Conservation

Geographic note: there are 202 Israeli settlements and civilian
land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan
Heights, 24 in the Gaza Strip, and 26 in East Jerusalem (August 1995
est.)

People
------

Population: 5,421,995 (July 1996 est.)
note: includes 127,600 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, 14,800 in
the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 5,000 in the Gaza Strip, and