Geography & environment — United Arab Emirates
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for United Arab Emirates: Middle East
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Middle East
- Geographic Coordinates
24 00 N, 54 00 E
- Total Area
32,278 Square Miles 83,600 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
32,278 Square Miles 83,600 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
539 Miles 867 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
- Coastline
819 Miles 1,318 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
- Highest Point
1,527 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
- Lowest Point Location
Persian Gulf 0 m
- Natural Resources
petroleum, natural gas
- Irrigated Land
355 Square Miles 920 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
Rainfall is low; but humidity is uncomfortably high. May to October is extremely hot, with shade temperatures of 29°C (85°F) to 50°C (122°F) and frequent 100% humidity. During the cool season (December-February) the weather is damp and seems colder than the 10°C (50°F) the thermometer sometimes indicates. During the rest of the year, the climate is pleasant, except for occasional sandstorms and hot, dry winds, which blow off the Empty Quarter of Arabia.
- Terrain
flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
- Location
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
- Total Area
32,278 Square Miles 83,600 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants
desertification
beach pollution from oil spills
- Environment - International Agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea.