The Geography of the Arabian Peninsula

the blue and red lines mark trade routes along the Silk Road

     Arabia lies at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe.  In ancient times, great civilizations grew up in the lands around Arabia.  To the northeast, Sumerians built their complex civilization along the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in present-day Iraq.  To the west, the Egyptians built their society on the banks of the Nile River in North Africa. Later, the Greeks, Romans, and Persians all had a major influence on the Middle East.

The Desert 

Satellite image from NASA of the Saudi Arabian Desert.  The yellow lines enclose the desert area.

About 3/4s of the Arabian Peninsula is covered by desert.  the hot, dry environment is very harsh with summer temperatures above 120 degrees and droughts that can last for years, 

The Oases

The desert is dotted with oases, areas where fresh water is available.  Oasis are important because they provide plant life and shade as well.    

Oases occur in areas where water has been trapped underground.  The water seeps to the surface as a spring or waterhole.

The Coastal Plain

Arabia's Coastal plain runs along the coasts of the peninsula.

The coastal plain ranges between 5 and 40 miles inland.  It ends at a series of rocky cliffs.

The Mountains

Arabia's largest mountain ranges run along the western and southern edges of the peninsula.  They divide the coastal plain from the desert. 

Arabia's mountains rise from 1,000 to 12,000 feet high.  These mountain ranges have a very different climate from the rest of the peninsula.  Most winds from the Indian Ocean bring as much as 20 inches of rain each year.