Arabian Peninsula 47858 226047940 2008-07-16T16:25:00Z 217.132.187.238 {{redirect|Arabia}} {{redirect|Arabian||Arab (disambiguation)}} [[Image:Arabian Peninsula dust SeaWiFS.jpg|thumbnail|right|280px|The Arabian Peninsula]] The '''Arabian Peninsula''' (in [[Arabic language|Arabic]]: شبه الجزيرة العربية ''šibh al-jazīra al-{{Unicode|ʻ}}arabīya'' or جزيرة العرب ''jazīrat al-{{Unicode|ʻ}}arab'') is a [[peninsula]] in [[Southwest Asia]] at the junction of [[Africa]] and [[Asia]] consisting mainly of desert. The area is an important part of the [[Middle East]] and plays a critically important [[geopolitics|geopolitical]] role because of its vast reserves of [[petroleum|oil]] and [[natural gas]]. The coasts of the peninsula are, on the west the [[Red Sea]] and the [[Gulf of Aqaba]], on the southeast the [[Arabian Sea]] (part of the [[Indian Ocean]]), and on the northeast, the [[Gulf of Oman]], the [[Strait of Hormuz]], and the [[Persian Gulf]]. Its northern limit is defined by the [[Iranian]] and [[Iraqi]] mountain range of [[Zagros]] collision zone, a mountainous uplift where a [[continental collision]] between the [[Arabian Plate]] and Asia is occurring. It merges with the [[Syrian Desert]] with no clear line of demarcation. [[Geography|Geographically]], the Arabian Peninsula includes the western regions of [[Iraq]] and parts of [[Syria]]. [[Political geography|Politically]], however, the peninsula is separated from the rest of Asia by the [[euphrates]] river. The following countries are politically considered part of the peninsula: *[[Bahrain]], an [[island]] nation off the east coast of the peninsula. *[[Kuwait]] *[[Oman]] *[[Qatar]] *[[Saudi Arabia]] *[[Jordan]] *[[United Arab Emirates]] *[[Yemen]], the sole republic on the peninsula. With the exception of Yemen and Jordan, these countries (called the [[Arab states of the Persian Gulf|Arab Gulf states]]) are among the wealthiest in the world. In 2008 The Arabian Peninsula population has been stated as 70,934,790.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Arabian_Peninsula#the_Population] wikipedia. Retrieved [[2008]].</ref> [[Image:Arabian peninsula definition2.png|right|210px|thumb|The Arabian Peninsula]] ==Ancient history== In his book, 'The Real Eve', [[Stephen Oppenheimer|Oppenheimer]] claims based on mitochondrial evidence in conjunction with the contemporary environment (ie glaciation, sea levels) corresponding to these [[molecular clock]] timelines that the very first humans to leave Africa crossed the virtually dry mouth of the Red Sea onto the Arabian peninsula. They travelled along the coastline of the peninsula before crossing into Southern Asia. [[Image:Oman-Wadi-Shab-26.jpg|thumb|right|Wadi Shab, [[Oman]]]] [[Image:Sanaa.JPG|thumb|150px|The old part of [[Sanaa]], [[Yemen]]]] [[Image:Emirates towers123.jpg|thumb|200px|Emirates towers in [[United Arab Emirates]]; the eastern part of Arabian Peninsula]] Until comparatively recent times knowledge of the Arabian Peninsula was limited to that provided by ancient Greek and Roman writers and by early[[ Arab]] geographers; much of this material was unreliable. In the 20th century, however, archaeological exploration has added considerably to the knowledge of the area. The earliest known events in Arabian history are migrations from the peninsula into neighbouring areas <ref>Philip Khuri Hitti (2002), History of the Arabs, Revised: 10th Edition</ref>. Around 3500 BC, [[Semitic languages|Semitic-speaking]] peoples of Arabian origin migrated into the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in [[Mesopotamia]], supplanted the [[Sumerians]], and became the Assyro-Babylonians (see [[Babylonia]] and [[Assyria]]). Some archeologists argue that another group of Semites left Arabia around 2500 BC during the Early Bronze Age and settled along the [[Levant]], mixing in with the local populations there. Some of these migrants became the [[Amorites]] and [[Canaanites]] of later times. Some archeologists argue that the migration instead came from the northern Levant. Other archeologists argue that there was no migration, and that the outside influences found in the indigenous Levantine population resulted from trade. [[Bernard Lewis]] mentions in his book [[The Arabs in History]]: <blockquote>"According to this, Arabia was originally a land of great fertility and the first home of the Semitic peoples. Through the millennia it has been undergoing a process of steady desiccation, a drying up of wealth and waterways and a spread of the desert at the expense of the cultivable land. The declining productivity of the peninsula, together with the increase in the number of the inhabitants, led to a series of crises of overpopulation and consequently to a recurring cycle of invasions of the neighbouring countries by the Semitic peoples of the peninsula. It was these crises that carried the Assyrians, Aramaeans, Canaanites (including the Phoenicians), and finally the Arabs themselves into the Fertile Crescent."<ref> Bernard Lewis (2002), The Arabs in History, Oxford University Press, USA; 6New Ed edition, page 17</ref> </blockquote> The better-watered, higher portions of the extreme south-west portion of the Arabian Peninsula supported three early kingdoms. The first, the Minaean, was centered in the interior of what is now Yemen, but probably embraced most of southern Arabia. Although dating is difficult, it is generally believed that the Minaean Kingdom existed from 1200 to 650 BC The second kingdom, the Sabaean (see [[Sheba]]), was founded around 930 BC and lasted until around 115 BC; it probably supplanted the Minaean Kingdom and occupied substantially the same territory. The Sabaean capital and chief city, Ma’rib, probably flourished as did no other city of ancient Arabia, partly because of its controlling position on the caravan routes linking the seaports of the Mediterranean with the frankincense-growing region of the [[Hadhramaut]] and partly because a large nearby dam provided water for irrigation. The Sabaean Kingdom was widely referred to as Saba, and it has been suggested that the [[Queen of Sheba]] mentioned in the Bible and the [[Quran]], who visited [[King Solomon]] of Israel in Jerusalem in the 10th century BC, was Sabaean. The Himyarites followed the Sabaeans as the leaders in southern Arabia; the [[Himyarite]] Kingdom lasted from around 115 BC to around AD 525. In 24 BC the Roman emperor [[Augustus]] sent the prefect of Egypt, Aelius Gallus, against the Himyarites, but his army of 10,000, which was unsuccessful, returned to Egypt. The Himyarites prospered in the frankincense, myrrh, and spice trade until the Romans began to open the sea routes through the Red Sea. In the 3rd century, The East African Christian Kingdom of Aksum began interfering in South Arabian affairs, controlling at times the western [[Tihama]] region among other areas. The Kingdom of Aksum at its height extended its territory in Arabia across most of [[Yemen]] and southern and western [[Saudi Arabia]] before being eventually driven out by the [[Persians]]. There is evidence of a Sabaean inscription about the alliance between the [[Himyar]]ite king Shamir Yuhahmid and Aksum under King [[`DBH]] in the first quarter of the 3rd century AD. They have been living alongside the Sabaeans who lived across the Red Sea from them for many centuries: <blockquote>''Shamir of Dhu-Raydan and Himyar had called in the help of the clans of Habashat for war against the kings of Saba; but Ilmuqah granted . . . the submission of Shamir of Dhu-Raydan and the clans of Habashat.''<ref>Stuart Munro-Hay. ''Aksum: A Civilization of Late Antiquity''. Edinburgh: University Press. 1991. pp. 66.</ref></blockquote> The ruins of [[Siraf]], a legendary ancient port, are located on the north shore of the [[Iran|Iranian]] coast on the [[Persian Gulf]]. The Persian Gulf was a boat route between the Arabian Peninsula and [[India]] made feasible for small boats by staying close to the coast with land always in sight.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200504/the.seas.of.sindbad.htm |title=The Seas of Sindbad |publisher= |accessdate=2006-12-11 }}</ref> The historical importance of Siraf to ancient trade is only now being realised. Discovered there in past archaeological excavations are ivory objects from east [[Africa]], pieces of stone from [[India]], and [[lapis]] from [[Afghanistan]]. Sirif dates back to the [[Parthia|Parthian]] era.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chnpress.com/news/?Section=2&id=5935 |title=Foreign Experts Talk of Siraf History |publisher=Cultural Heritage News Agency |accessdate=2006-12-11 }}</ref> There is a [[lost city]] in The [[Empty Quarter]] known as [[Iram of the Pillars]] and [[Thamud]]. It is estimated that it lasted from around 3000 BC to the first century AD. The Arabian Peninsula is also one of the few places that comprise the [[Cradle of Humanity]]. ==Medieval history== {{main|Muslim conquests|Arab Empire|Islamic Golden Age}} ==Modern history== [[Image:Kuwait city skyline.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The oil boom in Kuwait converted [[Kuwait City]] from a small city to a financial hub.]] The [[Kingdom of Saudi Arabia]] covers the greater part of the peninsula. The majority of the population of the peninsula live in [[Saudi Arabia]] and in [[Yemen]]. The peninsula contains the world's largest reserves of [[petroleum|oil]]. It is home to the [[Islam]]ic holy cities of [[Mecca]] and [[Medina]], both of which are in Saudi Arabia. The [[UAE]] and [[Saudi Arabia]] are economically the wealthiest in the region. [[Qatar]], a small peninsula in the Persian Gulf on the larger peninsula, is home of the famous [[Arabic language|Arabic-language]] television station [[Al Jazeera]] and its English-language subsidiary [[Al Jazeera English]]. [[Kuwait]], on the border with [[Iraq]], was claimed as an Iraqi province and invaded by [[Saddam Hussein]] during the first [[Gulf War|Persian Gulf War]]; it is an important country strategically, forming one of the main staging grounds for coalition forces mounting the [[invasion of Iraq]] in 2003. The peninsula is one of the possible original homelands of the [[Proto-Semitic language]] ancestors of all the [[Semitic languages|Semitic]]-speaking peoples in the region &mdash; the [[Akkadians]], [[Arabs]], [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]], [[Babylonia]]ns, [[Hebrews]], etc. Linguistically, the peninsula was the cradle of the [[Arabic language]] (spread beyond the peninsula with the [[Islamic religion]] during the expansion of [[Islam]] beginning in the 7th century AD) and still maintains tiny populations of speakers of [[Semitic]] languages such as [[Mehri]] and Shehri, remnants of the language family that was spoken in earlier historical periods to the East of the kingdoms of [[Sheba]] and [[Hadramout]] which flourished in the southern part of the peninsula (modern-day [[Yemen]] and [[Oman]]). ==Landscape== [[Image:Ras al jinz flickr01.jpg|thumb|right|Ras Aljinz, southeastern Arabia (Oman) also known as the 'Turtle Beach']] Geologically, this region is perhaps more appropriately called the ''Arabian subcontinent'' because it lies on a [[tectonic plate]] of its own, the [[Arabian Plate]], which has been moving incrementally away from northeast [[Africa]] (forming the [[Red Sea]]) and north into the [[Eurasian plate]] (forming the [[Zagros mountains]]). The rocks exposed vary systematically across Arabia, with the oldest rocks exposed in the [[Arabian-Nubian Shield]] near the Red Sea, overlain by earlier sediments that become younger towards the Persian Gulf. Perhaps the best-preserved [[ophiolite]] on Earth, Semail ophiolite, lies exposed in the mountains of the UAE and northern Oman. The peninsula consists of: # a central plateau, known as [[Nejd]], with fertile valleys and pastures used for the grazing of [[sheep]] and other livestock. # a range of deserts, the [[Nefud]] in the north, stony; the [[Rub' Al-Khali]] or Great Arabian Desert, in the south, with sand estimated to extend 600 ft. below the surface; and between them, the [[Dahna]]. # stretches of dry or marshy coastland with coral reefs on the [[Red Sea]] side ([[Tihamah]]). # ranges of mountains, primarily paralleling the [[Red Sea]] on the western (e.g. [[Asir]] province) and southeastern end (Oman). The highest, Jabal Al-Nabi Sho'aib in Yemen, is 3666 m high. Arabia has few lakes or permanent rivers. Most are drained by ephemeral watercourses called [[wadi]]s, which are dry except during the rainy season. Plentiful ancient [[aquifers]] exist beneath much of the peninsula, however, and where this water surfaces, [[oases]] form (e.g. [[Al-Hasa]] and [[Qatif]], two of the worlds largest [[oases]]) and permit agriculture, especially [[palm trees]], which allowed the peninsula to produce more [[date palm|dates]] than any other region in the world. The climate being extremely hot and [[Desert|arid]], the peninsula has no forests, although desert-adapted wildlife is present throughout the region. A plateau more than 2,500 feet high extends across much of the Arabian Peninsula. The plateau slopes eastwards from the massive, rifted escarpment along the coast of the Red Sea, to the shallow waters of The Gulf. The interior is characterised by ''cuestas'' and valleys, drained by a system of ''wadis''. A crescent of sand and [[gravel]] deserts lies to the east. ==Land and sea== Most of the Arabian Peninsula is unsuited to settled agriculture, making irrigation and land reclamation projects essential. The narrow coastal plain and isolated oases, amounting to less than 1% of the land area, are used to cultivate grains, coffee and exotic fruits. Goats, sheep, and camels are widespread throughout the region. The fertile soils of Yemen have encouraged settlement of almost all of the land from sea level up to the mountains at 10,000 feet. In the higher reaches elaborate terraces have been constructed to facilitate crop cultivation. ==Transport and industry== The extraction and refining of oil and gas are the major industrial activities in the Arabian Peninsula. The region also has an active construction sector, with many cities reflecting the wealth generated by the oil industry. The service sector is dominated by financial and technical institutions, which, like the construction sector, mainly serve the oil industry. Traditional handicrafts such as carpet-weaving are found in rural areas. ==References== {{Reflist}} *[http://www.digitalscarab.com Global Nomads] - Multi-media website documenting the current perspective of living in a diverse Oil Company Expatriate Community. ==External links== *[http://www.swaen.com/antique-map-image-of.php?id=31 High resolution scan of old map of Arabia] ==See also== {{Wiktionary}} *[[Ancient history of Yemen]] *[[Iram of the Pillars]] *[[Arab World]] *[[Araby]] *[[European exploration of Arabia]] *[[Rub' al Khali]] ([[desert]]) *[[Arabia Deserta]] *[[Arabia Petraea]] *[[Arabia Felix]] *[[Arabian Desert and East Sahero-Arabian xeric shrublands]] *[[History of the Jews in the Arabian Peninsula]] *[[Mashreq]] *[[Kingdom of Aksum]] [[Category:Arabia|Peninsula]] [[Category:Peninsulas of Asia]] [[ar:شبه الجزيرة العربية]] [[arc:ܐܪܒܝܐ]] [[frp:Pèninsula arabica]] [[ast:Arabia]] [[bs:Arapsko poluostrvo]] [[bg:Арабски полуостров]] [[ca:Aràbia]] [[cv:Арави çурутравĕ]] [[cs:Arabský poloostrov]] [[cy:Arabia]] [[da:Arabiske Halvø]] [[de:Arabische Halbinsel]] [[et:Araabia]] [[el:Αραβία]] [[es:Arabia]] [[eo:Arabio]] [[eu:Arabia]] [[fr:Arabie]] [[gl:Península de Arabia]] [[ko:아라비아 반도]] [[hi:अरबी प्रायद्वीप]] [[hsb:Arabska połkupa]] [[hr:Arapski poluotok]] [[io:Arabia]] [[id:Jazirah Arab]] [[os:Аравиаг æрдæгсакъадах]] [[is:Arabíuskaginn]] [[it:Penisola araba]] [[he:חצי האי ערב]] [[jv:Semenanjung Arab]] [[kw:Arabi]] [[sw:Bara Arabu]] [[ku:Nîvgirava Erebîstanê]] [[la:Arabia]] [[lb:Arabesch Hallefinsel]] [[lt:Arabijos pusiasalis]] [[lij:Arabbia (region)]] [[hu:Arab-félsziget]] [[ml:അല്‍ ജസീറ]] [[ms:Semenanjung Arab]] [[nl:Arabisch Schiereiland]] [[ja:アラビア半島]] [[no:Den arabiske halvøy]] [[nn:Den arabiske halvøya]] [[oc:Arabia]] [[pl:Półwysep Arabski]] [[pt:Arábia]] [[ro:Peninsula Arabică]] [[ru:Аравийский полуостров]] [[simple:Arabian Peninsula]] [[sk:Arabský polostrov]] [[sr:Арабијско полуострво]] [[sh:Arabija]] [[fi:Arabian niemimaa]] [[sv:Arabiska halvön]] [[th:คาบสมุทรอาหรับ]] [[vi:Bán đảo Ả Rập]] [[tr:Arap Yarımadası]] [[uk:Аравійський півострів]] [[wo:Arabi]] [[zh-yue:阿剌伯半島]] [[zh:阿拉伯半岛]]