Difference between revisions of "Arabian Desert" - New World Encyclopedia

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[[Image:Arabian Desert.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Map of the Arabian Desert ecoregions as delineated by the ''World Wide Fund for Nature.'' Satellite image from [[NASA]]. The yellow line encloses the ecoregion called "Arabian Desert and East Sahero-Arabian xeric shrublands," <ref> ''World Wildlife Fund'', [http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/pa/pa1303_full.html Arabian Desert and East Sahero-Arabian xeric shrublands], 2001. Retrieved October 24, 2007. </ref> and two smaller, closely related ecoregions called "Persian Gulf desert and semi-desert" <ref> ''World Wildlife Fund'', [http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/pa/pa1323_full.html Persian Gulf desert and semi-desert], 2001. Retrieved October 24, 2007. </ref> and "Red Sea Nubo-Sindian tropical desert and semi-desert."  
[[Image:Arabian Desert.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Map of the Arabian Desert ecoregions as delineated by the [[World Wide Fund for Nature|WWF]]. Satellite image from [[NASA]]. The yellow line encloses the ecoregion called "Arabian Desert and East Sahero-Arabian xeric shrublands",<ref>[http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/pa/pa1303_full.html PA1303], WWF</ref> and two smaller, closely related ecoregions called "Persian Gulf desert and semi-desert"<ref>[http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/pa/pa1323_full.html PA1323], WWF</ref> and "Red Sea Nubo-Sindian tropical desert and semi-desert".<ref>[http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/pa/pa1325_full.html PA1325], WWF</ref> National boundaries are shown in black.]]
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<ref> ''World Wildlife Fund'', [http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/pa/pa1325_full.html Red Sea Nubo-Sindian tropical desert and semi-desert], 2001. Retrieved October 24, 2007.</ref> National boundaries are shown in black.]]
The '''Arabian Desert''' is a vast [[desert]] wilderness stretching from [[Yemen]] to the [[Persian Gulf]] and [[Oman]] to [[Jordan]] and [[Iraq]]. It occupies most of the [[Arabian Peninsula]] with an area of 2,330,000 square kilometers (900,000&nbsp;mi²)<ref name=nyt>{{cite book | first=John W. (ed.) | last=Wright | coauthors=Editors and reporters of ''The New York Times'' | year=2006 | title=The New York Times Almanac | edition=2007 | publisher=Penguin Books | location=New York, New York | id=ISBN 0-14-303820-6 | pages=456}}</ref>. At its center is the [[Empty Quarter|Rub'al-Khali]], one of the largest continuous bodies of [[sand]] in the world.
 
  
[[Gazelle]]s, [[oryx]], [[sand cat]]s, and [[spiny-tailed lizard]]s are just some of the desert-adapted species that survive in this extreme environment, which features everything from red dunes to deadly quicksand. The climate is extremely dry, and temperatures oscillate between extreme heat and seasonal nighttime freezes.  It is part of the [[Deserts and xeric shrublands]] [[biome]] and the [[Palearctic]] [[ecozone]].
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The '''Arabian Desert''' encompasses almost the entire [[Arabian Peninsula]], blanketing the area in sandy terrain and seasonal winds. Encompassing almost 900,000 square miles (2,330,000 sq km), the Arabian Desert contains [[Empty Quarter|Rub'al-Khali]], one of the world's largest continuous bodies of sand in the world.  
  
This [[ecoregion]] holds little [[biodiversity]], although a few endemic plants grow here. Many species, such as the [[striped hyena]], [[jackal]] and [[honey badger]] have become extinct in this area due to [[hunting]], human encroachment and [[habitat destruction]]. Other species have been successfully re-introduced, such as the endangered white oryx and the sand gazelle, and are protected at a number of reserves. [[Overgrazing]] by livestock, off-road [[driving]], human destruction of habitat are the main threats to this desert ecoregion.
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As a geographic area, the Arabian Peninsula is often considered impassable, due to extremely dry environment and scarcity of visible vegetation. Despite the inhospitable terrain, however, the Arabian Desert has served throughout history as a commercial passageway between the [[Middle East]] and [[North Africa]].
 +
{{toc}}
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While it appears inhospitable and barren at first glance, it has proven to be a valuable source for [[natural resource]]s, including [[oil]], [[natural gas]], [[phosphate]]s, and [[sulfur]]. It also covers a vast reserve of underground [[groundwater]], trapped beneath the sands since the [[Pleistocene Age]], which has in recent years been tapped and used for [[irrigation]] in the region.
  
==Climate==
+
Home to human populations for over 3,000 years, the earliest inhabitants of the region were the [[Bedouin]], a [[nomad]]ic [[civilization]] that used the lands of the Arabian Desert as a breeding ground for [[camel]]s.
  
'''Type''' : hyper arid<br>
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==Geography==
'''Detailed description''' : Most of the Rub'al-Khali is classified as hyper-arid. Rainfall is generally less than 35 mm per annum and relative humidity low (50% in winter, 15% in summer). <br>Temperatures range 40-50°C in summer, with an average temperature of 5-15°C in winter, though it can go below 0°C. Daily extremes are very important.<br>
 
Saudi Arabia shows lower summer temperatures (around 30°C) with cold winter temperature (around 5°C, with frequent frost), with average rainfall of less than 80 mm. In an act of religious ritual, the Druze often run nude through the desert.
 
  
==Geology==
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===Borders and natural features===
'''Detailed geological features''' :
+
[[Image:Ad 2.jpg|thumb|300px|Saudi Arabian Desert, August 2006.]]
*A corridor of sandy terrain known as the [[ad-Dahna desert]] connects the large [[an-Nafud desert]] (65,000 km²) in the north of Saudi Arabia to the [[Rub' al-Khali]] in the south.
+
A large proportion of the Arabian Desert lies with the political borders of [[Saudi Arabia]]. However, the Arabian Desert is far too vast to fit within the political confines of a single nation, and spills over into neighboring countries. A significant portion of the desert reaches into [[Yemen]] in the southwest and [[Oman]] on the eastern border. Along the coast of the [[Persian Gulf]], the Arabian Desert extends into the modern sheikdoms of the [[United Arab Emirates]] and [[Qatar]]. The desert continues its expansion northward from Saudi Arabia as well, reaching into [[Kuwait]] and [[Jordan]]. Traces of the Arabian Desert are also found in [[Egypt]] and [[Iraq]].
*the [[Tuwayk]] escarpment is a region of 800 km arc of limestone cliffs, plateaux, and canyons.
 
*Brackish salt flats : the [[quicksand]]s of [[Umm al Samim]]
 
*The Wahiba sands of [[Oman]] : an isolated sand sea bordering the east coast
 
*The [[Rub' al-Khali]] [http://www.alovelyworld.com/webyemen/htmgb/yem027.htm] desert is a sedimentary basin elongated on a southwest to northeast axis across the Arabian shelf. At an altitude of 1000 metres, the rock landscapes yield the place to the ar-Ruba' Al-Khali, vast wide of sand of the Arabian desert, whose extreme southern point crosses the center of [[Yemen]]. The sand overlies gravel or gypsum plains and the dunes reach maximum heights of up to 250m. The sands are predominantly silicates, composed of 80 to 90% of quartz and the remainder feldspar, whose iron oxide-coated grains color the sands in orange and red.
 
  
==Ecology and natural resources==
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Encompassing almost 900,000 square miles (2,330,000 sq km), the Arabian Desert contains [[Empty Quarter|Rub'al-Khali]], one of the world's largest continuous bodies of sand in the world.<ref> John W. Wright, (ed.), ''The New York Times 2007 Almanac'' (New York, NY: Penguin Reference, 2007, ISBN 0143038206), 456.</ref> The vast expanse of the Arabian Desert is formed through a series of natural boundaries that protect the sandy dunes and keep the dusty winds inside the [[desert]]. The most prominent borders of the desert are the [[Gulf of Aden]] and the [[Arabian Sea]] to the southeast and south and the [[Red Sea]] in the west. In addition, the [[Persian Gulf]] and the [[Gulf of Oman]] lie to the Northeast and east of the desert. The glittering expanses of the sea only serve to highlight the dry nature of the desert and the lack of available [[water]]. To the north of the Arabian Desert, the harsh conditions of the desert climate extend up towards the [[Syrian Desert]], making the desert seem especially foreboding.
  
Some resources are [[oil]], natural [[gas]], [[phosphate]]s, and [[sulfur]].
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While the surrounding seas play a vital role in defining the borders of the [[Arabian Peninsula]], the desert itself is contained within a ring of mountain ranges. The most notable of the bordering mountain ranges is found in the southwestern corner of the desert belonging to Yemen. In this area [[Mount Al-Nabi Shu'ayb]] towers 12,336 feet above sea level. It has been measured as the highest point in the Arabian Desert, but is closely rivaled by [[Mount Al-Lawz]] (elevation 8,464 feet) in the northwest and [[Mount Al-Sham]] (elevation 9,957 feet) in the southeast.  
  
The Rub'al-Khali has very limited floristic [[biodiversity|diversity]]. There are only 37 species, 20 recorded in the main body of the sands and 17 around the outer margins. Among these 37 species, only one or two are endemic. Vegetation is very diffuse but fairly evenly distributed, with some interruptions of near sterile dunes.<br>
+
Along the northern edges of the Arabian Desert the landscape slowly elevates and blends into the topography of Arab Asia. The section of land where the desert begins to transform into a more elevated landscape is referred to as the [[Syrian Steppe]], a treeless plain that is noted for its wild beauty. While the northern edges of the Arabian Desert are able to blend seamlessly with the geography of [[Asia]], the southern portions of the desert are much more akin to the land forms found in [[Somalia]] and [[Ethiopia]]. Some scholars speculate that the dual nature of the Arabian Desert is due to a continental split in its early [[Geology|geological]] formation that broke the Arabian Peninsula away from [[Africa]].
Some typical plants are
 
* [[Calligonum crinitum]] on dune slopes
 
* [[Cornulaca arabica]] (saltbush)
 
* [[Cyperus conglomeratus]].
 
Other widespread species are
 
* [[Dipterygium glaucum]]
 
* [[Limeum arabicum]]
 
* [[Zygophyllum mandavillei]] (Mandaville 1986).
 
Very little trees may be found except at the outer margin (typically [[Acacia ehrenbergiana]] and [[Prosopis cineraria]]).<br>
 
Other species are a woody perennial [[Calligonum comosum]] and annual herbs such as [[Danthonia forskallii]]
 
  
==Political borders==
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While the Arabian Desert appears inhospitable and barren at first glance, it has proven to be a valuable source for natural resources, including [[oil]], [[natural gas]], [[phosphate]]s, and [[sulfur]]. The Arabian Desert also covers a vast reserve of underground [[groundwater]] that has been trapped beneath the sands since the [[Pleistocene Age]]. In recent years the underground reserve has been tapped and used for irrigation in the region. The groundwater, coupled with water reclaimed through desalinization, has allowed the Arabian Peninsula to be far more hospitable to modern populations than those of the past. Oil reserves have also been tapped in recent years; however, exportation of [[petroleum]] products from the region is often interrupted by international crises like the [[Persian Gulf War]].
  
The desert is mostly in [[Saudi Arabia]], extending into the surrounding countries of [[Egypt]] (Sinai),  [[Iraq]], much of southern and eastern  [[Jordan]], [[Syria]] and northern [[Saudi Arabia]]. Bordering the Persian Gulf, there is an extension into [[Qatar]] and, further east, the region covers almost all of [[Abu Dhabi]] in the [[United Arab Emirates]] (UAE). The Rub'al-Khali crosses over from Saudi Arabia into western [[Oman]] and eastern [[Yemen]].
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===Climate===
 +
Like most deserts, the Arabian Desert is classified as a hyper arid climate. Climates of this type are distinguished by extremely low annual [[rain]]fall and low humidity. Both of these distinguishing features are clearly seen in the Arabian Desert, which boasts an annual rainfall of under 33mm and less than 15 percent humidity in the summer.  
  
== People, language and cultures ==
+
While the overall dryness of the Arabian Desert is a formidable obstacle to human occupation, it is actually the extreme daily [[temperature]]s that mark the region as uninhabitable on a large scale. In the summer temperatures can reach a scorching 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in the heat of the day and plummet to extreme cold during the night. In the winter it is not uncommon for night time temperatures to reach below freezing.
The area is home to several different peoples, languages and cultures, with [[Shi'a Islam|Shi'a]] and [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] Islam the predominant faiths.
 
  
The major ethnicities are:
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===Wildlife===
*[[Arab]]s
+
[[Image:Ad camel.jpg|thumb|275px|Mother & child camels in UAE, 2006.]]
*[[Kurd]]s
+
One of the most active forms of wildlife in the Arabian Desert are [[insect]]s, who are able to survive in the sweltering heat of the sand dunes. Among the insects found in the region, the [[locust]] is often a cause of media attention. At one point the locust were considered a plague to the landscape, but has since been brought under control. Also making their home in the Arabian Desert, [[scavenging dung beetles]], [[scorpion]]s, and [[spider]]s play a vital role in the Desert [[ecosystem]]. Many of the insects that live within the region have developed a series of defensive mechanisms that allow them to avoid predators in the harsh climate. A prime example of this is the sting of the scorpions, which are potent enough to kill a small child.
*[[Turkmen people|Turkmeni]]
 
*[[Assyrian people|Assyrian]]s
 
  
The significant languages are:
+
Many varieties of [[lizard]]s also can be found among the wildlife of the Arabian Desert. One particular species, the dabb, is killed and roasted as a delicacy by the [[Bedouin]]. Other notable lizard varieties include the [[monitor lizard]], which can reach an astonishing length of three feet. A close relative of the lizard, [[snake]]s also nest in the desert sands. [[Viper]]s are prominent among the snake population, as well as the [[sand cobra]]. However, due to the nocturnal nature of snakes, they do not often pose a large threat to human populations in the region.
*[[Arabic language|Arabic]]
 
*[[Kurdish language|Kurdish]]
 
*[[Aramaic language|Aramaic]]
 
*[[Armenian language|Armenian]]
 
  
== Ecological threats ==
+
At one point in the history of the Arabian Desert, the region was home to a large [[mammal]] population. Despite the decline in herd populations, a few [[gazelle]]s can still be found in wildlife preserves protected by the Saudi government. The few remaining gazelles are only a small part of the herds that once roamed the desert in abundance. As well as the gazelle population, the [[ibex]] population, a species of [[goat]], has experienced a marked decline. However, the ibex population shows promise of returning to its former population after reintroduction to the wild from breeding in captivity.
  
*[[Overgrazing]] by camels and goats, with increased herd size, and a more sedentary lifestyle amongst the [[Bedouin]].
+
Much of the wildlife in the desert lives off the wide variety of [[plant]] life that can be found in the region. The plants that make the desert their home are, of necessity, adapted to the harsh environment and extreme weather. Most of the species are either able to survive on a very limited supply of [[water]] or are [[salt]] tolerant. Adaptations such as these allow the desert sands to bloom with vegetation after the spring rains. Despite native flowering plants such as the [[daisy]], [[mustard]], [[iris]], and caper plants, the desert cannot support enough vegetation to allow it to be used as a grazing ground. This was not always the case, as the region was often used as a pasture for [[nomad]]ic herdsmen. Overgrazing, however, effectively diminished the capacity of the area to support a large grazing area.  
*[[Off-road driving]]
 
*[[Habitat destruction|Human destruction of habitat]] and fragmentation in the form of roads
 
*[[Agriculture|Agricultural projects]]
 
*[[Petroleum|Oil]] and [[natural gas|gas]] production
 
*[[War]] and its impacts.
 
  
===Oil spills===
+
In the oases of the Arabian Desert, [[Date|date palms]] are often found in abundance. This fruit tree provides sustenance for both humans and livestock, preventing starvation in the harsh region. Also found in the oases are [[Juniper]] trees, (a prominent building material for the area), [[alfalfa]], [[onion]]s, [[melon]]s, [[barley]], and [[wheat]].
This ecoregion was the victim of a massive economic-environmental challenge: the sabotage of [[Kuwait]] oil facilities that caused vast [[Petroleum|oil]] spills and the release of toxins into the atmosphere in the 1990s.
 
  
In January 1991 during the [[Gulf War]], Iraqi forces released about 1.7 million m³ (11 million barrels) of oil from storage tanks and tankers directly into the Persian Gulf. In February, they also destroyed 1,164 Kuwaiti oil wells. It took nine months to extinguish these oil fires. These oil spills contaminated 1000 km (600 miles) of Persian Gulf coast.
+
== History ==
 +
[[Image:Saudi Arabian woman in the desert.jpg|thumb|250px|Saudi Arabian woman in the desert, 2005.]]
 +
The Arabian Desert has been the home to human populations for over 3,000 years. The earliest inhabitants of the region were the [[Bedouin]], a [[nomad]]ic [[civilization]] that used the lands of the Arabian Desert as a breeding ground for [[camel]]s. While using the natural growth in the region to support their herd, the Bedouin also began a system of standardized [[agriculture]] in the desert. Utilizing the [[Oasis|oases]] as fertile farmland, the Bedouin became noted for their cultivation of date palms and other crops.  
  
The result of the pollution was the death of thousands of water birds and serious damage to the Persian Gulf's aquatic [[ecosystem]], particularly [[shrimp]], [[sea turtle]]s, [[dugong]]s, [[whale]]s, [[dolphin]]s and [[fish]].
+
Eventually, however, the many tribes of the Bedouin were unable to sustain a purely nomadic lifestyle. Faced with the demands of new international political borders in the area, the Bedouin settled into the oases. The transition to a settled economy was accompanied with a decline in feuding Bedouin tribes, as grazing land was no longer contested.  
  
The damaged wells also released 10 million m³ (60 million barrels) of oil into the desert and formed lakes (total surface of 49 square kilometers) which contaminated soil and [[ground water]].
+
The discovery of [[petroleum]] in the region in 1936 ushered in a flood of Western cultural influence that severely threatened the traditional lives of the Bedouin. Perhaps the most significant change in the region following the discovery of petroleum was the increase in transportation options in the area. Now that trucks are widely used as a method of transportation, more Bedouin children have access to an [[education]] and other social services.
  
===Weaponry===
+
While the discovery of petroleum in the area has brought some advantages to Bedouin society and the Arabian Desert in general, the [[natural resource]] has been exploited to a degree that has severely harmed the natural environment. Contention has also erupted between political entities based on the control and access to the petroleum fields. One notable example of a petroleum–fueled disagreement occurred in 1991, when 11 million barrels of oil were released into the [[Persian Gulf]] as a military tactic during the [[Gulf War]]. The effects of the oil release were necessarily catastrophic, devastating the entire aquatic [[ecosystem]], culminating in the death of of thousands of water birds, [[whale]]s, [[dolphin]]s, and sea turtles.
Weaponry used by the US during the Gulf war also poses a huge risk to the environmental stability of the area. Tank columns in the desert plains may disrupt the fragile stability that exists. The desert soil is protected from erosion by a thin hardened crust. However, in 1991, the passage of US tanks damaged the crust and unleashed a massive, slow moving [[sand dune]]. Some people fear that this dune could ultimately reach [[Kuwait City]]. Another concern is related to the use of radioactive [[depleted uranium]] munitions by the [[A-10 Thunderbolt II|A-10 "Warthog"]]. Some detractors claim the ammunitions to be a [[cancer]] risk and a source of [[water contamination]]. In 1991, the U.S. and [[NATO]] dropped nearly 300 tons of depleted uranium on Iraqi targets. The splinters resulting from the explosion contaminated the surrounding soil.
 
  
== Conservation ==
+
== Notes ==
The conservation status of the desert is critical/endangered, with species including the [[white oryx]] and [[sand gazelle]] threatened and [[striped hyaena]]s, [[jackal]]s and [[honey badger]]s already extinct.
+
<references/>
 
 
No formal [[protected areas]] exist but a number of protected areas are in the planning for [[Abu Dhabi]].
 
 
 
Certain desert species are being looked into for further research. Some of these organisms are becoming extinct because of rescent devolopments regarding specific animals in the desert.
 
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==
<div class="references-small">
+
* ''Encyclopedia Britannica Online''. [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-47938/Arabian-Desert Arabian Desert]. Retrieved October 22, 2007.
<references/>
+
* Allan, J. A., and Andrew Warren. ''Deserts: The Encroaching Wilderness''. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. ISBN 9780195209419  
</div>
+
* Kelly, Kathleen, and R. T. Schnadelbach. ''Landscaping the Saudi Arabian Desert''. Philadelphia: Delancey Press, 1976.  
 
+
* Dehau, Etienne, and Pierre Bonte. ''Bedouin and Nomads: Peoples of the Arabian Desert''. London: Thames & Hudson, 2007. ISBN 9780500543344  
== Sources and Further Reading ==
+
* Lawrence, T. E. ''Revolt in the Desert''. New York: George H. Doran Co., 1927.
* Allan, J. A., and Andrew Warren. 1993. ''Deserts: the encroaching wilderness : a world conservation atlas''. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN  0195209419 and ISBN 9780195209419  
+
* Ben-ʻEzer, Ehud, and Uri Shulevitz. ''Hosni the Dreamer: An Arabian Tale''. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1997.
* Kelly, Kathleen, and R. T. Schnadelbach. 1976. ''Landscaping the Saudi Arabian desert''. Philadelphia: Delancey Press.  
+
* Lewis, Brenda Ralph. 2002. Great Civilizations. Bath, UK: Parragon. ISBN 0752561413
* Dehau, Etienne, and Pierre Bonte. 2007. ''Bedouin and nomads: peoples of the Arabian desert''. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0500543348 and ISBN 9780500543344  
+
* Wright, John W. (ed.). ''The New York Times 2007 Almanac.'' New York, NY: Penguin Reference, 2007. ISBN 0143038206
* Lawrence, T. E. 1927. Revolt in the desert. New York: George H. Doran Co.  
 
* Ben-ʻEzer, Ehud, and Uri Shulevitz. 1997. Hosni the dreamer: an Arabian tale. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.
 
 
 
== External Links ==
 
* [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-47938/Arabian-Desert Arabian Desert]. ''Encyclopedia Britannica Online''. Retrieved April 28, 2007.
 
* [http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/world/A0804471.htmlArabian Desert]. ''Fact Monster''. Retrieved April 28, 2007.
 
 
 
  
 
{{Deserts}}
 
{{Deserts}}
  
[[Category:Palearctic]]
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[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Deserts and xeric shrublands]]
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[[Category:Deserts]]
[[Category:Deserts of Asia]]
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[[Category:Asia]]
  
[[ar:الصحراء العربية]]
 
[[nl:Arabische Woestijn]]
 
[[fi:Arabian niemimaan aavikot]]
 
[[pl:Pustynia Arabska]]
 
[[th:ทะเลทรายอาหรับ]]
 
  
  
 
{{credit|126304173}}
 
{{credit|126304173}}

Latest revision as of 21:10, 22 November 2016

Map of the Arabian Desert ecoregions as delineated by the World Wide Fund for Nature. Satellite image from NASA. The yellow line encloses the ecoregion called "Arabian Desert and East Sahero-Arabian xeric shrublands," [1] and two smaller, closely related ecoregions called "Persian Gulf desert and semi-desert" [2] and "Red Sea Nubo-Sindian tropical desert and semi-desert." [3] National boundaries are shown in black.

The Arabian Desert encompasses almost the entire Arabian Peninsula, blanketing the area in sandy terrain and seasonal winds. Encompassing almost 900,000 square miles (2,330,000 sq km), the Arabian Desert contains Rub'al-Khali, one of the world's largest continuous bodies of sand in the world.

As a geographic area, the Arabian Peninsula is often considered impassable, due to extremely dry environment and scarcity of visible vegetation. Despite the inhospitable terrain, however, the Arabian Desert has served throughout history as a commercial passageway between the Middle East and North Africa.

While it appears inhospitable and barren at first glance, it has proven to be a valuable source for natural resources, including oil, natural gas, phosphates, and sulfur. It also covers a vast reserve of underground groundwater, trapped beneath the sands since the Pleistocene Age, which has in recent years been tapped and used for irrigation in the region.

Home to human populations for over 3,000 years, the earliest inhabitants of the region were the Bedouin, a nomadic civilization that used the lands of the Arabian Desert as a breeding ground for camels.

Geography

Borders and natural features

Saudi Arabian Desert, August 2006.

A large proportion of the Arabian Desert lies with the political borders of Saudi Arabia. However, the Arabian Desert is far too vast to fit within the political confines of a single nation, and spills over into neighboring countries. A significant portion of the desert reaches into Yemen in the southwest and Oman on the eastern border. Along the coast of the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Desert extends into the modern sheikdoms of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The desert continues its expansion northward from Saudi Arabia as well, reaching into Kuwait and Jordan. Traces of the Arabian Desert are also found in Egypt and Iraq.

Encompassing almost 900,000 square miles (2,330,000 sq km), the Arabian Desert contains Rub'al-Khali, one of the world's largest continuous bodies of sand in the world.[4] The vast expanse of the Arabian Desert is formed through a series of natural boundaries that protect the sandy dunes and keep the dusty winds inside the desert. The most prominent borders of the desert are the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea to the southeast and south and the Red Sea in the west. In addition, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman lie to the Northeast and east of the desert. The glittering expanses of the sea only serve to highlight the dry nature of the desert and the lack of available water. To the north of the Arabian Desert, the harsh conditions of the desert climate extend up towards the Syrian Desert, making the desert seem especially foreboding.

While the surrounding seas play a vital role in defining the borders of the Arabian Peninsula, the desert itself is contained within a ring of mountain ranges. The most notable of the bordering mountain ranges is found in the southwestern corner of the desert belonging to Yemen. In this area Mount Al-Nabi Shu'ayb towers 12,336 feet above sea level. It has been measured as the highest point in the Arabian Desert, but is closely rivaled by Mount Al-Lawz (elevation 8,464 feet) in the northwest and Mount Al-Sham (elevation 9,957 feet) in the southeast.

Along the northern edges of the Arabian Desert the landscape slowly elevates and blends into the topography of Arab Asia. The section of land where the desert begins to transform into a more elevated landscape is referred to as the Syrian Steppe, a treeless plain that is noted for its wild beauty. While the northern edges of the Arabian Desert are able to blend seamlessly with the geography of Asia, the southern portions of the desert are much more akin to the land forms found in Somalia and Ethiopia. Some scholars speculate that the dual nature of the Arabian Desert is due to a continental split in its early geological formation that broke the Arabian Peninsula away from Africa.

While the Arabian Desert appears inhospitable and barren at first glance, it has proven to be a valuable source for natural resources, including oil, natural gas, phosphates, and sulfur. The Arabian Desert also covers a vast reserve of underground groundwater that has been trapped beneath the sands since the Pleistocene Age. In recent years the underground reserve has been tapped and used for irrigation in the region. The groundwater, coupled with water reclaimed through desalinization, has allowed the Arabian Peninsula to be far more hospitable to modern populations than those of the past. Oil reserves have also been tapped in recent years; however, exportation of petroleum products from the region is often interrupted by international crises like the Persian Gulf War.

Climate

Like most deserts, the Arabian Desert is classified as a hyper arid climate. Climates of this type are distinguished by extremely low annual rainfall and low humidity. Both of these distinguishing features are clearly seen in the Arabian Desert, which boasts an annual rainfall of under 33mm and less than 15 percent humidity in the summer.

While the overall dryness of the Arabian Desert is a formidable obstacle to human occupation, it is actually the extreme daily temperatures that mark the region as uninhabitable on a large scale. In the summer temperatures can reach a scorching 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in the heat of the day and plummet to extreme cold during the night. In the winter it is not uncommon for night time temperatures to reach below freezing.

Wildlife

Mother & child camels in UAE, 2006.

One of the most active forms of wildlife in the Arabian Desert are insects, who are able to survive in the sweltering heat of the sand dunes. Among the insects found in the region, the locust is often a cause of media attention. At one point the locust were considered a plague to the landscape, but has since been brought under control. Also making their home in the Arabian Desert, scavenging dung beetles, scorpions, and spiders play a vital role in the Desert ecosystem. Many of the insects that live within the region have developed a series of defensive mechanisms that allow them to avoid predators in the harsh climate. A prime example of this is the sting of the scorpions, which are potent enough to kill a small child.

Many varieties of lizards also can be found among the wildlife of the Arabian Desert. One particular species, the dabb, is killed and roasted as a delicacy by the Bedouin. Other notable lizard varieties include the monitor lizard, which can reach an astonishing length of three feet. A close relative of the lizard, snakes also nest in the desert sands. Vipers are prominent among the snake population, as well as the sand cobra. However, due to the nocturnal nature of snakes, they do not often pose a large threat to human populations in the region.

At one point in the history of the Arabian Desert, the region was home to a large mammal population. Despite the decline in herd populations, a few gazelles can still be found in wildlife preserves protected by the Saudi government. The few remaining gazelles are only a small part of the herds that once roamed the desert in abundance. As well as the gazelle population, the ibex population, a species of goat, has experienced a marked decline. However, the ibex population shows promise of returning to its former population after reintroduction to the wild from breeding in captivity.

Much of the wildlife in the desert lives off the wide variety of plant life that can be found in the region. The plants that make the desert their home are, of necessity, adapted to the harsh environment and extreme weather. Most of the species are either able to survive on a very limited supply of water or are salt tolerant. Adaptations such as these allow the desert sands to bloom with vegetation after the spring rains. Despite native flowering plants such as the daisy, mustard, iris, and caper plants, the desert cannot support enough vegetation to allow it to be used as a grazing ground. This was not always the case, as the region was often used as a pasture for nomadic herdsmen. Overgrazing, however, effectively diminished the capacity of the area to support a large grazing area.

In the oases of the Arabian Desert, date palms are often found in abundance. This fruit tree provides sustenance for both humans and livestock, preventing starvation in the harsh region. Also found in the oases are Juniper trees, (a prominent building material for the area), alfalfa, onions, melons, barley, and wheat.

History

Saudi Arabian woman in the desert, 2005.

The Arabian Desert has been the home to human populations for over 3,000 years. The earliest inhabitants of the region were the Bedouin, a nomadic civilization that used the lands of the Arabian Desert as a breeding ground for camels. While using the natural growth in the region to support their herd, the Bedouin also began a system of standardized agriculture in the desert. Utilizing the oases as fertile farmland, the Bedouin became noted for their cultivation of date palms and other crops.

Eventually, however, the many tribes of the Bedouin were unable to sustain a purely nomadic lifestyle. Faced with the demands of new international political borders in the area, the Bedouin settled into the oases. The transition to a settled economy was accompanied with a decline in feuding Bedouin tribes, as grazing land was no longer contested.

The discovery of petroleum in the region in 1936 ushered in a flood of Western cultural influence that severely threatened the traditional lives of the Bedouin. Perhaps the most significant change in the region following the discovery of petroleum was the increase in transportation options in the area. Now that trucks are widely used as a method of transportation, more Bedouin children have access to an education and other social services.

While the discovery of petroleum in the area has brought some advantages to Bedouin society and the Arabian Desert in general, the natural resource has been exploited to a degree that has severely harmed the natural environment. Contention has also erupted between political entities based on the control and access to the petroleum fields. One notable example of a petroleum–fueled disagreement occurred in 1991, when 11 million barrels of oil were released into the Persian Gulf as a military tactic during the Gulf War. The effects of the oil release were necessarily catastrophic, devastating the entire aquatic ecosystem, culminating in the death of of thousands of water birds, whales, dolphins, and sea turtles.

Notes

  1. World Wildlife Fund, Arabian Desert and East Sahero-Arabian xeric shrublands, 2001. Retrieved October 24, 2007.
  2. World Wildlife Fund, Persian Gulf desert and semi-desert, 2001. Retrieved October 24, 2007.
  3. World Wildlife Fund, Red Sea Nubo-Sindian tropical desert and semi-desert, 2001. Retrieved October 24, 2007.
  4. John W. Wright, (ed.), The New York Times 2007 Almanac (New York, NY: Penguin Reference, 2007, ISBN 0143038206), 456.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Arabian Desert. Retrieved October 22, 2007.
  • Allan, J. A., and Andrew Warren. Deserts: The Encroaching Wilderness. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. ISBN 9780195209419
  • Kelly, Kathleen, and R. T. Schnadelbach. Landscaping the Saudi Arabian Desert. Philadelphia: Delancey Press, 1976.
  • Dehau, Etienne, and Pierre Bonte. Bedouin and Nomads: Peoples of the Arabian Desert. London: Thames & Hudson, 2007. ISBN 9780500543344
  • Lawrence, T. E. Revolt in the Desert. New York: George H. Doran Co., 1927.
  • Ben-ʻEzer, Ehud, and Uri Shulevitz. Hosni the Dreamer: An Arabian Tale. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1997.
  • Lewis, Brenda Ralph. 2002. Great Civilizations. Bath, UK: Parragon. ISBN 0752561413
  • Wright, John W. (ed.). The New York Times 2007 Almanac. New York, NY: Penguin Reference, 2007. ISBN 0143038206


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