This species occurs across the coast of Abu Dhabi and other areas of the UAE, including off-shore islands (Sakkir et al. 2017). The distribution consists of discontinuous patches along the coastline which is likely the result of coastal development (Sakkir et al. 2017). Within Abu Dhabi alone, this species is estimated to cover an area of 40 km²(Saenger et al. 2004). Throughout the UAE as a whole, there are considered to be 60-70 km² of natural mangroves, and slightly over 150 km² of mangroves when including planted individuals (EAD 2014, H.S. Das pers. comm. 2019). The number of threat-based locations for this species is estimated to be greater than 10 due to multiple patches existing along the UAE coastlines. Its native range extends across the tropical and subtropical Old World (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the United Arab Emirates, this species is localised and uncommon in widely scattered localities in the Abu Dhabi Emirate (Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press). It occurs from sea level to 200 m asl. The species is endemic to the Arabian Peninsula (Haas 1957, Salvador 1982), where it is also found in central Oman and northern and eastern Saudi Arabia, around Dhahran and Sakaka (Leviton et al. 1992, Carranza et al. 2018).

This is a common sedge that is found in sands of coastal areas along the Arabian Gulf (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Brown et al. 2007, Mahmoud et al. 2018, Al Mehairbi et al. 2019). This species' native range is Arabian Peninsula, South Iran to Indo-China (Board of Trustees, RGB Kew 2018).

This species was first recorded for the UAE from Ras al-Khaimah beach by Böer and Chaudhary (1999). The species is also known from Yemen, Qatar and from Oman (from 600 m+) (S.A. Ghazanfar pers. comm 2019). There is a need to see the specimen to validate the identification. The species has a very wide global distribution, throughout much of Africa, Asia and Europe, and is widely introduced and naturalised through the Americas and the Pacific (GRIN 2019).

Within the UAE, this species occurs in the Hajar Mountains in oases and wet areas within plantations (Jongbloed et al. 2003, MEW 2010, Al Meharibi et al. 2019). Western (1983) reported this species (as the 'Fimbristylis sieberama' [sic.], considered here a synonym) from the Old Sewage Farm on Abu Dhabi Island; the origin and continued presence here must be in doubt, although Al Meharibi et al. (2019) cite presence there. Globally, this species spans across both the tropical and subtropical realms (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). In the Arabian Peninsula, the species is thought to occur in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Yemen (Ghazanfar 2017).

In the UAE this species is recorded from along the Arabian Gulf coast and in the northern Hajar Mountains, including Jebel Hafeet (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Al Mehairbi et al. 2019). Globally, the native range of this species spans across the Old World (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

This species is confirmed in United Arab Emirate waters (Soorae et al. 2006, Egan 2007, Gardner 2013, Buzás et al. 2018), with confirmed records from the Arabian Gulf (from small numbers of strandings) and the Gulf of Oman, where it is found up to 5.9-6.2 km offshore (Géczy et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). The depth range is not certain, but likely to be found to c.55 m depth along the east coast. Museum records are available for the UAE in the Al Mayya Sanctuary, Fujairah.Globally, the species is found in the Arabian and Oman Gulfs, east to Indonesia, the Gulf of Papua and China (Culotta and Pickwell 1993, Heatwole 1999). Its range includes Hong Kong in the east and Australia to the south (Kharin 2004).

Presence of this species is confirmed within the United Arab Emirates marine territorial waters (Soorae et al. 2006, 2010; Gardner 2013, Castilla et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). It is most common in the southern part of the east coast, south of Fujairah city, from 3.5 - 7 km offshore (Géczy et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). In the Arabian Gulf, this species is apparently less common, with few known records; Soorae et al. (2006) recorded the species from Abu Dhabi island. It has been recorded from Iranian waters in the northern Arabian Gulf, with records from the Straits of Hormuz requiring confirmation. The depth range is not certain, but likely to be found to c. 55 m depth along the east coast. The first museum specimen from the region was collected off the west coast of the Musandam Peninsula (Arabian Gulf, UAE) in 1931 (Gasperetii 1988), and recent museum records are available for the UAE (Al Mayya Sanctuary, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates).Globally (Culotta and Pickwell 1993, Lukoschek et al. 2010), this species has one of the most extensive distributions of all sea snakes (Minton 1975, David and Ineich 1999). It occurs from the Arabian Gulf to eastern Australia and includes Pakistan, the entire Indian coastline, Myanmar, Thailand, South China Sea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and northern Australia (David and Ineich 1999; Ukuwela et al. 2014, 2016). One individual of this species has been reported from an unknown location in New Caledonia (Rasmussen and Ineich 2000), but it is not clear whether there are breeding populations in that region.

Presence of this species is confirmed within the United Arab Emirates marine territorial waters (Soorae et al. 2006, 2010; Buzás et al. 2018). It is found in both the Arabian Gulf and in the Gulf of Oman. Breeding has been confirmed in the waters off the east coast (Géczy et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). On the east coast, it is found from 2.7-9.7 km offshore (Géczy et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). The depth range is not certain, but likely to be found to c.45 m depth along the east coast. Museum records are available for the UAE in the Al Mayya Sanctuary, Fujairah. Recent museum specimens include those from Muscat, Oman (Boulenger 1887), Arabian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz (Gasperetti 1988). The first museum specimens for the region were collected in Dubai and Sharjah (Arabian Gulf, UAE) by M.D. Gallagher in 1972 (Gasperetii 1988).Globally, this species is found in the Arabian Gulf eastwards to India and Sri Lanka (Culotta and Pickwell 1993, Heatwole 1999), and to the west coast of peninsular Thailand, Melanesia and Singapore (Rasmussen et al. 2010).

Presence of this species is confirmed within the United Arab Emirates marine territorial waters (Gasperetti 1988, Egan 2007, Soorae et al. 2006, Gardner 2013, Buzás et al. 2018), with confirmed records from the Arabian Gulf (from small numbers of strandings) and the Gulf of Oman, where it is primarily found up to 8.9 km offshore, but seen at 13.8, 34.5, 44 and 78 km offshore; as a pelagic species, it can be found anywhere within the EEZ (Géczy et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). The depth range is not certain, but likely to be found to c.5 m depth, as this is a surface-dwelling species. Recent museum records are available for the UAE in the Al Mayya Sanctuary, Fujairah.Globally, this species is very widespread in the tropical parts of the Pacific and Indian Oceans between the 18-20'º C isotherms (Dunson and Ehlert 1971, Graham et al. 1971). It is known from the coasts of eastern Africa, north to the Arabian Gulf, east along the Asian coast of the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, northward to Japan and eastward to the western coasts of the Americas (Culotta and Pickwell 1993, Heatwole 1999). Currents occasionally carry the snakes into temperate waters, but these are almost certainly far from their breeding and feeding waters (Guinea et al. 2017). The species has been reported, from a small number of records, from Atlantic waters (Atlantic coast of Africa and the Caribbean coast of Columbia), which suggests that colonization of the Atlantic Ocean is a possibility (Lillywhite et al. 2018).