Arabian Desert

Introduction
Physical features
- Geology
- Physiography
- Climate
- Soils
- Plant life
- Animal life
People
Economy
- Resources
- Transportation
Study and exploration

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

Physical map of the Arabian Desert and surrounding regions, showing elevation with color gradients, major deserts, mountain ranges, sand areas, lava fields, intermittent rivers, and international boundaries. The map covers the Arabian Peninsula, including Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, and parts of Syria, Israel, and Egypt. An inset locator map highlights the region's position within the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia: Bedouin woman with Arabian camels

desert pavement and topography, Saudi Arabia

Mount Tuwayq, Arabian Desert, Saudi Arabia

Rolling red sand dunes with sparse green shrubs in the foreground and a flat-topped hill in the background, in the desert near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

At a Glance

Arabian Desert summary

Quizzes

Tomb of Mohammed Bin Ali, Salalah, Oman.

A View of the Middle East

Arabian Camel (Camelus dromedarius) in the Sahara Desert sand dunes. (pack animal; sand; Morocco; Africa; African desert; mammal; dromedary; drought)

Quick Quiz: Deserts

Related Questions

How did Bedouin people adapt to life in the Arabian Desert?
How did ancient river systems create the gravel plains of Arabia?
How did international borders change the traditional movement of Bedouin tribes?
How did the Oman Mountains form?
How did the discovery of petroleum change life in the Arabian Desert?
How do desert plants survive with little water in the Arabian Desert?
How do mirages form on hot days in the Arabian Desert?
How do monsoon winds affect rainfall in the Rubʿ al-Khali?
How do tamarisk trees help protect oases from drifting sand?
How have people traditionally collected salt from Arabian salt flats?
How high can sand dunes rise in the Rubʿ al-Khali?
How hot can temperatures become in the Arabian Desert?
How large is the Rubʿ al-Khali compared with France?
How much of the Arabian Peninsula is covered by the Arabian Desert?
How much rain does the Arabian Desert receive each year?
How were the sands of Al-Nafūd formed?
What are sabkhahs, and how do they form along the Persian Gulf coast?
What are the largest sand deserts within the Arabian Desert?
What are the major mountain regions of the Arabian Desert?
What are the Ṭuwayq Mountains, and where are they located?
What are wadis, and why do most of them remain dry?
What is a brown roller storm in the Arabian Desert?
What types of dunes are found in the Rubʿ al-Khali?
Where is the Al-Ghawār oil field located, and why is it important?
Which animals live in the Arabian Desert?
Which countries are included in the Arabian Desert?
Which countries contain parts of the Rubʿ al-Khali?
Which crops are grown in oases of the Arabian Desert?
Which plants grow after spring rain in the Arabian Desert?
Which rivers flow year-round in the Arabian Desert region?
Why are camels important to Bedouin life in the Arabian Desert?
Why are coastal parts of the Arabian Desert more humid than the interior?
Why are date palms important to people living in Arabian Desert oases?
Why are salt-tolerant plants important on Arabian Desert salt flats?
Why can heavy rain cause dangerous floods in Arabian Desert wadis?
Why can travelers sink into the soft surface of a sabkhah?
Why did Bedouin tribes move between desert grazing lands and cultivated areas?
Why does running water shape much of the Arabian Desert more strongly than wind?
Why does the Arabian Desert contain large petroleum reserves?
Why does the Arabian Desert have extremely hot summers?
Why has Al-Nafūd been a barrier to travel?
Why is groundwater in the Arabian Desert difficult to replace?
Why is the Rubʿ al-Khali called the Empty Quarter?
Where is Petra located?
What is the significance of Palestine as “the Holy Land”?
What role did the British play in the history of Palestine?
What is the climate in Riyadh?
What is Riyadh famous for?
When did Riyadh become the capital of Saudi Arabia?
Who was the first Roman emperor?
Why did the Roman Empire fall?
What are the Gulf Arab states?
What role does oil play in the Gulf Arab states’ economies?

Geography & Travel Physical Geography of Land Deserts

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Arabian Desert

desert, Arabian Peninsula

Written by

William L. Ochsenwald

Professor of History, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg. Author of Religion, Society, and the State in Arabia.

William L. OchsenwaldAll

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Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

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History

Arabian Desert, great desert region of extreme southwestern Asia that occupies almost the entire Arabian Peninsula. It is the largest desert area on the continent—covering an area of about 900,000 square miles (2,300,000 square km)—and the second largest on Earth, surpassed in size only by the Sahara, in northern Africa. The Arabian Desert is bordered to the north by the Syrian Desert, to the northeast and east by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of...

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