Gaza Strip vs. Israel
Geography
| Gaza Strip | Israel | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel | Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon |
| Geographic coordinates | 31 25 N, 34 20 E | 31 30 N, 34 45 E |
| Map references | Middle East | Middle East |
| Area | total: 360 sq km land: 360 sq km water: 0 sq km | total: 21,937 sq km land: 21,497 sq km water: 440 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than New Jersey |
| Land boundaries | total: 72 km border countries (2): Egypt 13 km, Israel 59 km | total: 1,068 km border countries (6): Egypt 208 km, Gaza Strip 59 km, Jordan 327 km (20 km are within the Dead Sea), Lebanon 81 km, Syria 83 km, West Bank 330 km |
| Coastline | 40 km | 273 km |
| Maritime claims | see entry for Israel note: effective 3 January 2009, the Gaza maritime area is closed to all maritime traffic and is under blockade imposed by Israeli Navy until further notice | territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation |
| Climate | temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers | temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas |
| Terrain | flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain | Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Awdah) 105 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m | highest point: Mitspe Shlagim 2,224 m; note - this is the highest named point, the actual highest point is an unnamed dome slightly to the west of Mitspe Shlagim at 2,236 m; both points are on the northeastern border of Israel, along the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range lowest point: Dead Sea -431 m mean elevation: 508 m note - does not include elevation data from the Golan Heights |
| Natural resources | arable land, natural gas | timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand |
| Irrigated land | 240 sq km; note - includes the West Bank (2012) | 2,250 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | droughts | sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes |
| Environment - current issues | soil degradation; desertification; water pollution from chemicals and pesticides; salination of fresh water; improper sewage treatment; water-borne disease; depletion and contamination of underground water resources | limited arable land and restricted natural freshwater resources; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides |
| Geography - note | strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history; there are no Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip; the Gaza Strip settlements were evacuated in 2005 | note 1: Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source; the Dead Sea is the second saltiest body of water in the world (after Lake Assal in Djibouti) note 2: the Malham Cave in Mount Sodom is the world's longest salt cave at 10 km (6 mi); its survey is not complete and its length will undoubtedly increase; Mount Sodom is actually a hill some 220 m (722 ft) high that is 80% salt (multiple salt layers covered by a veneer of rock) note 3: in March 2019, there were 380 Israeli settlements,to include 213 settlements and 132 outposts in the West Bank, and 35 settlements in East Jerusalem; there are no Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip, as all were evacuated in 2005 (2019) |
| Total renewable water resources | 837 million cubic meters (2017 est.) note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. | 1.78 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | population concentrated in major cities, particularly Gaza City in the north | population concentrated in and around Tel-Aviv, as well as around the Sea of Galilee; the south remains sparsely populated with the exception of the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba |
Source: CIA Factbook
