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
water: 0 sq km
land: 360 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: 26%
permanent crops: 40%
other: 34% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 120 sq km (1998 est.)

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 there are 25 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Gaza Strip (August 2001 est.)

NOTE: The information regarding Gaza Strip on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Gaza Strip Geography 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Gaza Strip Geography 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.