Part 610

Map ---

Location: 25 30 N, 51 15 E -- Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Flag ----

Description: maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side

Geography ---------

Location: Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 25 30 N, 51 15 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total area: 11,000 sq km land area: 11,000 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 60 km border country: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Coastline: 563 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: territorial dispute with Bahrain over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Bahrain; 1965 boundary with Saudi Arabia, renegotiated and revised in 1992, but not official depiction

Climate: desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer

Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Aba al Bawl 103 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 5% forest and woodland: 0% other: 95%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common international agreements: signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea

Geographic note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

People ------

Population: 547,761 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (male 82,147; female 83,552) 15-64 years: 68% (male 263,107; female 109,177) 65 years and over: 2% (male 6,609; female 3,169) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.39% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 21.03 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 3.6 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 6.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 0.96 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.41 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.09 male(s)/female all ages: 1.8 male(s)/female (1996 est.)