Editing Geography of Saudi Arabia (section)

==Boundaries==
[[Image:Saudia Arabia topographic map.jpg|thumb|right|Topography of Saudi Arabia and surrounding countries]]
[[Image:Jordan frontiers-en.svg|thumb|Image showing the approximate land exchanged between Jordan (gaining green) and [[Saudi Arabia]] (gaining red)]]

Saudi Arabia is bounded by seven countries and three bodies of water. To the west, the [[Gulf of Aqaba]] and the [[Red Sea]] form a coastal border of almost {{convert|1800|km|abbr=on}} that extends to the southern part of [[Yemen]] and follows a mountain ridge for approximately {{convert|320|km|abbr=on}} to the vicinity of [[Najran]]. This section of the border with Yemen was demarcated in 1934 and is one of the few clearly defined borders with a neighbouring country. The Saudi border running southeast from Najran, however, is undetermined. The undemarcated border became an issue in the early 1990s, when oil was discovered in the area and Saudi Arabia objected to the commercial exploration by foreign companies on behalf of Yemen. In the summer of 1992, representatives of Saudi Arabia and Yemen met in Geneva to discuss settlement of the border issue.
 
To the north, Saudi Arabia is bounded by [[Jordan]], [[Iraq]], and [[Kuwait]]. The northern boundary extends almost {{convert|1400|km|abbr=on}} from the Gulf of Aqaba on the west to [[Khafji|Ras al Khafji]] on the [[Persian Gulf]]. In 1965, Saudi Arabia and Jordan agreed to boundary demarcations involving an exchange of areas of territory. Jordan gained {{convert|19|km|abbr=on}} of land on the Gulf of Aqaba and 6,000 square kilometers of territory in the interior, and 7,000 square kilometers of Jordanian-administered, landlocked territory was ceded to Saudi Arabia.<ref>{{cite web|title=International Boundary Study, No. 60 – December 30, 1965, Jordan – Saudi Arabia Boundary |url=https://fall.law.fsu.edu/collection/LimitsinSeas/IBS060.pdf |publisher=US Department of State |access-date=30 January 2019}}</ref>

In 1922, [[Ibn Saud]] and British officials representing Iraqi interests signed the Treaty of Mohammara which established the boundary between Iraq and the future Saudi Arabia. Later that year, the [[Uqair Protocol of 1922|Uqair Protocol]] signed by the two parties agreed to the creation of a diamond-shaped [[Saudi Arabian–Iraqi neutral zone]] of approximately 7,000 square kilometers, adjacent to the western tip of Kuwait, within which neither Iraq nor Saudi Arabia would build permanent dwellings or installations. The agreement was designed to safeguard [[Water right|water rights]] in the zone for [[Bedouin]] of both countries. In May 1938, Iraq and Saudi Arabia signed an additional agreement regarding the administration of the zone. Forty-three years later, Saudi Arabia and Iraq signed an agreement that defined the border between the two countries and provided for the division of the neutral zone between them. The agreement effectively dissolved this neutral zone.

The boundary between Ibn Saud's territories of Najd and the Eastern Province and the British protectorate of Kuwait was first regulated by the Al Uqair Convention in 1922. In an effort to avoid territorial disputes, another diamond-shaped [[Saudi Arabian–Kuwaiti neutral zone|Saudi–Kuwaiti neutral zone]] of 5,790 square kilometers directly south of Kuwait was established. In 1938 oil was discovered in Kuwait's southern [[Burgan field|Burqan fields]], and both countries contracted with foreign oil companies to perform exploration work in the Divided Zone. After years of discussions, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait reached an agreement in 1965 that divided the zone geographically, with each country administering its half of the zone. The agreement guaranteed that the rights of both parties to the natural resources in the whole zone would continue to be respected after each country had annexed its half of the zone in 1966.

Saudi Arabia's eastern boundary follows the Persian Gulf from Ras 'al Khafji to the peninsula of Qatar, whose border with Saudi Arabia was determined in 1965. The border with Oman on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula runs through the [[Empty Quarter]] (Rub 'al-Khali). The border demarcation was defined by a 1990 agreement that included provisions for shared [[grazing rights]] and water rights. The border through 'Al Buraymi Oasis, located near the conjunction of the frontiers of Oman, [[Abu Dhabi]] (one of the emirates of the UAE) and Saudi Arabia, has triggered extensive dispute among the three states since the [[Treaty of Jeddah (1927)|Treaty of Jeddah]] in 1927. In a 1975 agreement with Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi accepted sovereignty over six villages in the 'Al Buraymi Oasis and the sharing of the rich Zararah oil field. In return, Saudi Arabia obtained an outlet to the Persian Gulf through Abu Dhabi.

Saudi Arabia's maritime claims include a twelve-nautical-mile (22&nbsp;km) territorial limit along its coasts. The country also claims many small islands as well as some seabeds and [[subsoil]]s beyond the twelve-nautical-mile (22&nbsp;km) limit.

'''Land boundaries:'''
<br>''total:''
4,415&nbsp;km
<br>''border countries:''
[[Iraq]] 814&nbsp;km, [[Jordan]] 728&nbsp;km, [[Kuwait]] 222&nbsp;km, [[Oman]] 676&nbsp;km, [[Qatar]] 60&nbsp;km, [[United Arab Emirates|UAE]] 457&nbsp;km, [[Yemen]] 1,458&nbsp;km

'''Coastline:'''
2,640&nbsp;km

'''Maritime claims:'''
<br>''contiguous zone:''
{{convert|18|nmi|km mi|1|abbr=on|lk=in}}
<br>''continental shelf:''
not specified
<br>''territorial sea:''
{{convert|12|nmi|km mi|1|abbr=on}}
<br>''[[exclusive economic zone]]:''
{{convert|228,633|km2|mi2|0|abbr=on}}