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 NEGL

Land use
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 39%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 11%
other: 26% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land 120 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards NA

Environment - current issues desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment

Environment - international agreements
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note there are 24 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Gaza Strip (August 1997 est.)

NOTE: The information regarding Gaza Strip on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Gaza Strip Geography 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Gaza Strip Geography 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.