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Kuwait Geography
Kuwait is an oil-rich Arab country with an area of 17,818 sq km situated at the north-western tip of the Arabian Gulf . Its territorial waters include nine islands and a 290-km long coastline. The country is bordered on the north and west by Iraq , on the south by Saudi Arabia and on the east by the Arabian Gulf .
Located at 30.27°N and 48.46°E, Kuwait ranks third in the Middle East in proven oil reserves (after Saudi Arabia and Iraq ) and was a founding member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Kuwait is, for all practical purposes, a flat desert. Its highest point is a hill which is only about 300m high (1000ft). There are nine off-shore islands but only one of them, Failaka, is inhabited. Most of the land area of the country is below 200m (660ft) in elevation.
The soil of the desert does not lend itself to agriculture. Less than 9% of the land is arable and water comes almost exclusively from desalination plants.
Its name is derived from Kut , an Arabic word for fort. The capital city, Kuwait , is located on an inlet of the Arabian Gulf .
An Overview :
Location |
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Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia |
Geographic coordinates |
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29 30 N, 45 45 E |
Map references |
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Middle East |
Area |
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total: 17,820 sq km
land: 17,820 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative |
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slightly smaller than New Jersey |
Land boundaries |
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total: 462 km
border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km |
Coastline |
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499 km |
Maritime claims |
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territorial sea: 12 nm |
Climate |
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dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters |
Terrain |
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flat to slightly undulating desert plain |
Elevation extremes |
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lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 306 m |
Natural resources |
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petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas |
Land use |
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arable land: 0.73%
permanent crops: 0.11%
other: 99.16% (2001) |
Irrigated land |
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60 sq km (1998 est.) |
Natural hazards |
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sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August |
Environment - current issues |
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limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification |
Environment - international agreements |
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping |
Geography - note |
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strategic location at head of Persian Gulf |
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