Arabian Desert

The Arabian Desert occupies practically the whole Arabian peninsular, bounded to the north by the Syrian Desert, to the west by the Red Sea, to the south by the Arabian Sea, and to the east by the Gulf (sometimes controversially called as the Persian Gulf or Arabian Gulf). It is actually made up of three separate deserts, the greatest of which is the Rub’al-Khali Desert, which lies to the south of the peninsula and is a massive sand dune ranging from west to east.

The centre Ad-Dhana Desert connects the Rub’al-Khali to the northern An-Nafud Desert, forming a corridor. The Arabian Peninsula is quite young geologically, having broken apart from the main African continent about five or six million years ago. It’s no wonder, then, that this desert shares many similarities with the Sahara, including the orange coloration of its sands due to the presence of iron oxides.

Location:

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Oman are all part of the Arabian Desert. While the Arabian Desert is primarily found in Saudi Arabia, it also extends into Yemen and Oman towards the south.

Arabian Desert Climate and Weather:

Although it should come as no surprise that this desert is scorching and dry, some people are startled by the enormous temperature fluctuation. Daytime temperatures in the 50s Celsius are normal, but the area also has very cold nighttime temperatures, which can result in frost and dew, especially in the more humid parts. The area is described as hyper-arid and a real desert in every meaning of the word, with annual precipitation of less than 33 mm.

Sandstorms are common due to the dry powdery quality of the sands, which can occur as a result of frontal systems with gale force winds, or as a result of the seasonal desert winds known as Shamals, which occur from December to January and May to June. The sand is generally  pushed a few inches above ground level during these storms, making visibility and travel difficult. The action of Dust Devils, which are long-lasting whirlwinds, can occasionally lift the sands to a higher height.

Flora and Fauna:

Plants:

Few plant species can live in such a harsh environment, and only 37 plant species have been identified in the Rub’al-Khali, with much of the region being essentially devoid of vegetation. However, some plants flourish, particularly near oases and less arid places. One of the most well-known plants is the adenium, or desert rose, while date palms are plentiful and a good source of food. Acacia trees, ghaf trees, orache (salt-bush), capers, juniper, and alfalfa are all prevalent flora.

Animals:

There are few grazing animals due to the lack of vegetation, but there were once large numbers of gazelle species, notably the Arabian Oryx. This is where the famed Arabian horses came from. Striped hyenas and Arabian wolves once frequented the area, but hunting has nearly wiped them out. There are Cape hares, caracals, and red foxes to be seen, but the Arabian camel, or dromedary, is undoubtedly the most instantly recognisable desert animal. Many snakes, lizards, and geckos, including the dhub (Egyptian uromastyx), horned vipers, cobras, and monitor lizards, thrive under these conditions. Ants, bees, wasps, moths, and beetles, notably the famed scarab beetles, are abundant.

There are many bird species to see, but just a few are permanent inhabitants. Vultures, buzzards, falcons, swallows, and doves are among them.

Interesting facts about the Arabian Desert:

1. The Arabian Desert spans about 900,000 square miles, more than four times the size of France, Western Europe’s largest country.
2. It is the world’s second-largest desert, only the Sahara being greater.
3. It has various mountains, the highest of which is Mount Al-Nabi Shu’ayb in Yemen, which stands at 3,760 metres. Mount Al-Sham in Oman is at 3,035 metres, whereas Mount Al-Lawz in Saudi Arabia’s Hejaz area stands at 2,580 metres.
4. The world’s longest continuous expanse of sand is found in the Rub’al-Khali desert.
5. It wasn’t until 1936 that oil was discovered in the area.
6. Although Saudi Arabia contains the majority of the Arabian Desert, it also includes Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Qatar.

Conclusion:

In Western Asia, the Arabian Desert is a large desert region. It extends from Yemen to the Persian Gulf, Oman to Jordan, and Iraq to Jordan. With a total area of 2,330,000 square kilometres, it encompasses the majority of the Arabian Peninsula (900,000 sq mi). It is the world’s fifth largest desert and Asia’s largest. Ar-Rub’al-Khali (The Empty Quarter) is at its heart, one of the world’s largest continuous sand dunes.