Arabian Peninsula - جَزِيرَةُ العَرَبِ

Arabian Peninsula. The Island of Arabs. The largest peninsula in the world. The place where the Arabian Empire and Islam were founded. This is where the Prophet Muhammad was born. It was a place of many historical events, so the climate should be favourable too, right? Well, nothing could be further from the truth.

The Arabian Peninsula is mostly made up of mountains, hills, deserts and steppes. Rivers, are only seasonal (caravan routes and pilgrims’ roads use empty river beds). There is no flowing string. If there is heavy rainfall, the rivers will also appear, but if there is a drought, the local population suffer from water from the well. The harsh and unfriendly conditions of this region have resulted in a small population of the peninsula, mostly in oases. Although there are places without people in unfavourable regions.

The Arabian Peninsula consists of three parts, depending on the terrain. The first part is the Great Nafudes. It is an area covered with white or red sand, which was blown by the wind and formed shoals or dunes from it. The second region is ad-dahnaaA (الدَّهْنَاع). The region is extremely unfriendly to people on a daily basis, but during the rainy season it starts to bustle with life. The last part of the peninsula has sandstones with corrugated and cracked lava called al-Harra (الحَرَّةُ).

WEATHER AND CLIMATE

The peninsula is one of the driest and hottest regions in the world. It is not uncommon for the peninsula to be there several years of drought, but paradoxically, there will be extremely intense and severe storms with heavy rainfall that can even cause flooding. Due to many climatic anomalies, the Peninsula has developed strong and resistant (not lush) desert vegetation and the animals have become more resistant. Interestingly, despite the presence of seas and oceans on the Peninsula, the rain-free continuity is still on.

ARABIAN PENINSULA AND VEGETATION

Despite unfavorable conditions, the vegetation on the Peninsula has had a significant impact on the whole world, and has historically contributed to the development of the region. Currently, the most popular is the “wine of Islam”, or Arabic coffee growing in Yemen, but bringing coffee from Abyssinia to this region has influenced its current popularity. The province of Asir in the south of the peninsula was famous and famous for its Arabic gum, while the southern uplands are overgrown with incense trees, which made it possible to develop trade in South Arabia. The peninsula’s oases are home to pomegranates, apples, apricots, almonds, oranges, lemons, sugar cane and bananas, plus dates, wheat, barley, millet and rice.

The most important plant on the Peninsula is the palm from Mesopotamia. It is the queen of the Arab flora. The fruit that the palm produces is valuable – together with milk it is the main meal of the Bedouin, and crushed date seeds serve as food for the camel. Equally important and highly sought after is the fermented date drink. Animals. Due to the difficult conditions on the Peninsula, the fauna is not as varied as it could be. The animals that live here are panthers, leopards, hyenas, wolves, foxes, monkeys and lizards, as well as birds – eagles, falcons, hawks, owls, ravens, larks, hoopoes, nightingales, pigeons and partridges. Arabs also have domestic and breeding animals. They are camels, sheep, goats, mules, cats, greyhounds and dogs. Additionally, snakes, reptiles and locusts can be found on the Peninsula. Locusts baked with salt a delicacy among Bedouins. Interestingly, in the past, there were also lions on the Peninsula!

ANIMALS

One of the most important animals on the Arabian Peninsula is a horse. Originally it was not known, only after being brought before our era it gained popularity. It is known for its attachment to his owner and its physical beauty, stamina and intelligence. In the Middle East he is a symbol of luxury and wealth, hence the care of the horse is problematic for desert people. All the value of a horse is its help during its rapid success during the inrun and in competitions, races and hunting.

The most important animal on the Peninsula and in the Middle East is undoubtedly a camel. It is treated as a special gift from God. It is thanks to the camel that early Muslim conquests proved possible. The camel is the most useful animal for a nomad, it is its transport, host and means of exchange. There is a story that the Bedouin drinks its camel first, and only then the thirsty family.