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Israel and Its Neighbors: Geographic Overview

Israel is located in the Southern Levant (Western Asia), on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Its borders—some recognized, some disputed—place it at the crossroads of Africa and Asia.

Borders and Neighbors

Direction	Neighbor	Status/Notes
North	Lebanon	Internationally recognized border (Blue Line, UN 2000)
Northeast	Syria	Golan Heights: Israeli-controlled since 1967; annexed 1981 (unrecognized internationally)
East	Jordan	Peace treaty 1994; border demarcated
West Bank	West Bank	Palestinian territory; Israeli military occupation since 1967; Areas A/B/C (Oslo Accords)
Southwest	Egypt	Peace treaty 1979; border demarcated
West (coastal)	Gaza Strip	Palestinian territory; Hamas governance since 2007; Israeli blockade; border crossings controlled
West	Mediterranean Sea	190 km coastline; EEZ claims overlap with Lebanon, Cyprus

Key Geographic Context

Area: ~22,000 km² (pre-1967); ~27,000 km² including Golan/West Bank
Capital: Jerusalem (internationally contested; most embassies in Tel Aviv)
Topography: Coastal plain, central highlands (Judean/Samarian hills), Jordan Rift Valley (Dead Sea: -430 m, Earth's lowest land point), Negev desert (south)
Water: Jordan River, Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), Mountain Aquifer, Coastal Aquifer—shared, contested resources

Israel's geography is inseparable from its modern history, conflicts, and peace efforts. Borders remain subjects of negotiation and international law.

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