Arabian Peninsula

The Arabian Peninsula is a massive landmass located in West Asia. It is the largest peninsula on Earth. Its size is roughly comparable to the country of India. The peninsula sits on the Arabian plate. Most of the land is part of the Arabian Desert. This desert is a large extension of the Sahara Desert.

Geographically, the peninsula is defined by its surrounding waters. To the west lies the Red Sea. The Persian Gulf sits to the northeast. The Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman are to the east. To the southeast is the Arabian Sea. The south is bounded by the Gulf of Aden and the Strait of Mandeb.

Nine countries occupy this region. These include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Yemen is also located here. Additionally, the southern parts of Iraq and Jordan are included. Saudi Arabia covers the largest portion of the peninsula. The six nations of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE form the Gulf Cooperation Council.

The peninsula formed between 56 and 23 million years ago. This happened because of the Red Sea Rift. This rift involved the movement of the African and Arabian plates. The region has a very deep history. Modern humans occupied the area during the Paleolithic period. They arrived after departing from Africa. Writing systems were introduced to the region in the early 1st millennium BC.

In ancient times, different groups named the land differently. The Greco-Roman world divided it into three regions. These were Petraea in the north, Deserta in the center, and Felix in the south. Arabia Felix was much greener and received more rainfall. This allowed for more productive farming. Later, medieval Muslim geographers used four main divisions. They named the Central Plateau, South Arabia, Al-Bahrain, and the Hejaz.

The landscape is mostly arid and extremely hot. There are very few permanent rivers or lakes. Instead, the land features ephemeral watercourses called wadis. These stay dry unless it rains. Deep underground, ancient aquifers hold water. When this water reaches the surface, it forms oases. The Al-Hasa and Qatif oases are two of the largest in the world. These areas allow for the growth of palm trees. Because of this, the peninsula produces more dates than any other region.

Mountains provide variety to the terrain. The Haraz Mountains are in the southwest. They include the highest peak, Jabal An-Nabi Shu'ayb. The Hajar range sits in the northeast within the UAE and Oman. The Dhofar Mountains are in southern Oman. These mountains often receive more rain than the desert. The central area features a plateau called the Najd. This plateau has valleys used for grazing livestock.

In the 7th century AD, the region underwent a major change. The leader Muhammad founded Islam. This event politically and culturally united the entire peninsula. This helped spread Arab culture across Asia and Africa. In the 20th century, a new discovery changed the world. Vast reserves of oil and natural gas were found. This led to rapid industrialization. Many countries in the region are now petrocracies. This means they play a central role in global petroleum politics.

Today, the population is growing very quickly. In 2014, the estimated population was 77,983,936 people. This growth is driven by high birth rates and migrant labor. Some areas have seen populations triple every twenty years. The population is often very young. In some eastern regions, the ratio of men to women is very uneven. Riyadh is the most populous city, with over 7 million residents. Other major cities include Jeddah, Dubai, and Sanaa.