chapter 1 Flashcards

1
Q

The Arabian Peninsula is a peninsula of

A

Western Asia situated northeast of Africa on theArabian plate.

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2
Q

From a geological perspective, it is considered a subcontinent of

A

Asia

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3
Q

It is the largest peninsula in the world, at

A

3,237,500 km2

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4
Q

The Arabian Peninsula consists of the countries

A

Yemen, Oman, Qatar,Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and theUnited Arab Emirates, and parts ofJordan and Iraq. the island on bahrain lies off the east coast of the peninula

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5
Q

what are the countries of the GCC

A

KSA

kuwait

Bahrain

Qater

UAE

Oman

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6
Q

what country covers the grestest part of the peninsula

A

KSA

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7
Q

the majority of the population of the paninsula live in

A

KSA and Yamen

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8
Q

The peninsula formed as a result of

A

the rifting of theRed Sea between 56 and 23 million years ago

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9
Q

The peninsula formed as a result of the rifting of theRed Sea between 56 and 23 million years ago, and is bordered by

A

the Red Sea to the west and southwest, the Arabian Gulf to the northeast, and the Indian Ocean to the southeast.

البحر الاحمر

الخليج العربي

المحيط الهندي

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10
Q

The Arabian Peninsula plays a critical

A

geopoliticalrole in the Middle East and the Arab world due to its vast reserves of oiland natural gas.

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11
Q

The Arabian Peninsula is located in the continent of

A

Asia

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12
Q

The Arabian Peninsula is located in the continent of Asia and bounded by (clockwise)

A

the Arabian Gulf on the northeast, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman on the east, the Arabian Sea on the southeast and south, the Gulf of Adenon the south, the Bab-el-Mandeb strait on the southwest and the Red Sea, which is located on the southwest and west

الخليج العربي

مضيق هرمز

خليج عمان

بحر العرب

خليج عدن

مضيق باب المندب

البحر الاحمر

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13
Q

The northern portion of the peninsula merges with

A

the Syrian Desert with no clear border line

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14
Q

The northern portion of the peninsula merges with the Syrian Desert with no clear border line, although the northern boundary of the Arabian Peninsula is generally considered to be

A

the northern borders of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait

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15
Q

The most prominent feature of the peninsula is

A

desert

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16
Q

The most prominent feature of the peninsula is desert, but in the

A

southwest there are mountain ranges,

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17
Q

The most prominent feature of the peninsula is desert, but in the southwest there are mountain ranges, which

A

receive greater rainfall than the rest of the Arabian Peninsula.

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18
Q

…………… is a large volcanic field that extends from …………..

A

Harrat ash Shaam

the northwestern Arabian Peninsula into Jordan and southern Syria

حره الشام

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19
Q

Geologically, this region is perhaps more appropriately called the

A

Arabian subcontinent

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20
Q

Geologically, this region is perhaps more appropriately called the Arabian subcontinent because

A

t lies on a tectonic plate of its own, the Arabian Plate, which has been moving incrementally away from the rest of Africa (forming the Red Sea) and north, toward Asia, into theEurasian plate (forming the Zagros mountains).

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21
Q

The rocks exposed vary systematically across Arabia, with the oldest rocks exposed in the

A

Arabian-Nubian Shieldnear the Red Sea, overlain by earlier sediments that become younger towards the Arabain Gulf.

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22
Q

Perhaps the best-preserved ophiolite on Earth, the

A

Semail Ophiolite

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23
Q

Perhaps the best-preserved ophiolite on Earth, the Semail Ophiolite, lies exposed in the

A

mountains of the UAE and northern Oman

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24
Q

The peninsula consists of:

A
  1. A central plateau
  2. A range of deserts
  3. In Hejaz, ranges of mountains, paralleling the Red Sea coast on the west (e.g. Asir province) but also at the southeastern end of the peninsula (Oman).
  4. Stretches of dry or marshy coastland with coral reefs on the Red Sea side (Tihamah)
  5. Oases and marshy coast-land inEastern Arabia on the Persian Gulfside
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25
Q

The peninsula consists of:

  1. A central plateau,
A

the Najd, with fertile valleys and pastures used for the grazing of sheep and other livestock

نجد (وسط السعوديه)ذ

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26
Q

The peninsula consists of:

  1. A range of deserts:
A

the Nefud in the north, which is stony; the Rub’ al Khali or Great Arabian Desert in the south, with sand estimated to extend 600 ft (180 m) below the surface; between them, the Dahna

صحراء النفوذ (صخر)ي

الربع الخالي

صحراء الدهناء

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27
Q

The peninsula consists of:

  1. In Hejaz, ranges of mountains, paralleling the Red Sea coast on the west (e.g. Asir province) but also at the southeastern end of the peninsula (Oman).
A

The mountains show a steady increase in altitude westward as they get nearer to Yemen, and the highest peaks and ranges are all located in Yemen The highest, Jabal an Nabi Shu’ayb in Yemen, is 3666 m high

جبل النبي شعيب في اليمن هو اعلى جبل في شبه الجزيره

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28
Q

Arabia has few lakes or permanent rivers. Most areas are drained by

A

ephemeral watercourses called wadis, which are dry except during the rainy season.

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29
Q

Plentiful ancient aquifers exist beneath much of the peninsula, however, and where this water surfaces, oases form (e.g.

A

Al-Hasa andQatif, two of the world’s largest oases) and permit agriculture, especially palm trees, which allowed the peninsula to produce more dates than any other region in the world.

الحسى و القطيف

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30
Q

In general, the climate is

A

extremely hot and arid, although there are exceptions. Higher elevations are made temperate by their altitude, and the Arabian Sea coastline can receive surprisingly cool, humid breezes in summer due to cold upwelling offshore.

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31
Q

The peninsula has no ………………….. Desert-adapted wildlife is present throughout the region.

A

thick forests

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32
Q

the most over-stressed aquifer system in the world is the

A

Arabian Aquifer System

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33
Q

the most over-stressed aquifer system in the world is the Arabian Aquifer System, upon which more than …………………… people depend for water

A

60 million

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34
Q

………………….. “have exceeded sustainability tipping points and are being depleted”

A

Twenty-one of the thirty seven largest aquifers

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35
Q

Twenty-one of the thirty seven largest aquifers “have exceeded sustainability tipping points and are being depleted” and

A

thirteen of them are “considered significantly distressed.”

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36
Q

most of the arabian peninsula is unsuited to

A

agriculture

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37
Q

most of the arabian peninsula is unsuited to ugriculture, making …………… projects essential

A

irrigation and land reclamation

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38
Q

the narrow coastal plain and isolated oases, amounting to ………….. are used to ……

A

less than 1% of the land area are used to cultivate grains, cofee and tropical fruits

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39
Q

some areas have a …………… climate particularly …………….

A

summer humid tropical moonsoon climate

Dhofar and Al Mahrah areas of Oman and yamen

ضفار و المهره في عمان و اليمن

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40
Q

Dhofar and Al Mahrah areas allow for

A

large scale coconut plantation

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41
Q

areas having tropical mosoon rain. why?

A

much of yamen and part of oman

influenced mountain climate

42
Q

the plains usually have ……………………… climate

A

tropical or

subtropical arid desert climate or

arid steppe climate

43
Q

the sea surrounding the arabian peninsula is generally

A

tropical sea with a very rich tropical sea life and some of the worlds largerst undestroyed and most prestine coral reefs

44
Q

some reefs were destroyed in the arabian gulf, mostly caused by

A

phosphate water pollution and

resultant increase in algea growth as well as

oil pollution from ships and pipeline leakage

45
Q

the fertile soil of yamen have encouraged

A

settlement of almost all of the land from sea level up to mountains at 3 km

46
Q

in higher reaches elaborate terraces have been constructed to facilitate

A

grain, fruit, cofee, ginger and khat cultivation

47
Q

how sand storms happen in the arabian penensula

A

cold air sinks and digs into soil

soil lifts

this happens (cold front) on nafud the result is dust storms in al Dahna, UAE and oman

another source of sand storms is pakistan desert

48
Q

dust storms are powered by

A

southern jordan and Iraq

49
Q

the arabian desert may be devided into

A

an nafud

ad dahna

rub al khali

50
Q

an nufud location

A

northernmost of all deserts

founf in north-central KSA

51
Q

charactaristics of an nafud

A

vast oval sand sea (68, 000 km2 in area) characterized by large, deep red, crecent-shaped dunes.

52
Q

noted weather in an nufud

A

sudden high winds and sandstorms

53
Q

location of oases in an nufud

A

western edge where it meets the hejaz mountains

54
Q

what might be produced in an nufud desert

A

dates, fruits, vegetables and grains

55
Q

name an oasis located in an nufud

A

tayme (western margin of an nufud)

56
Q

ad dahna location

A

central part of the arabian desert

runs along the eastern edge of the jabal tuwayq range

57
Q

shape of ad dahna

A

longm narrow cresent of sand dunes that connects an nufud in the north to rub al khali in south.

1,200 km long

24-80 km wide

58
Q

The United Arab Emirates is situated in Middle East/southwest Asia, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia; it is on a strategic location along

A

northern approaches to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil.

59
Q

The UAE lies between (latitude and longitude)

A

22°50′ and 26° north latitude and between 51° and 56°25′ east longitude

60
Q

It shares a …………kilometer border with Saudi Arabia on the west, south, and southeast, and a …………-kilometer border with Oman on the southeast and northeast.

A

530-

450

61
Q

The total area of the UAE is approximately

A

83,600 square kilometers

62
Q

The country’s exact size is unknown because of

A

disputed claims to several islands in the Arabian Gulf, because of the lack of precise information on the size of many of these islands, and because most of its land boundaries, especially with Saudi Arabia, remain undemarcated.

63
Q

The largest emirate, Abu Dhabi, accounts for

A

87 percent of the UAE’s total area (72,732 square kilometers).

64
Q

The smallest emirate,

A

, Ajman, encompasses only 259 square kilometers.

65
Q

Land boundaries:

total

A

867 km

66
Q

Land boundaries:

  • Total: 867 km

Border countries:

A

: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

67
Q

Coastline:

A
  • 1,318 km
68
Q

Elevation extremes:

Lowest point:

A
69
Q

Elevation extremes:

Highest point:

A

Jabal Yibir (1,527 m)

70
Q

The UAE stretches for more than …………. kilometers along the ……………

A

650 kilometers

southern shore of the Arabian Gulf

71
Q

Most of the coast consists of

A

salt pans that extend far inland.

72
Q

The largest natural harbor is at ………………. although ………………

A

at Dubai, although other ports have been dredged at Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and elsewhere.

73
Q

The smaller islands, as well as many coral reefs and shifting sandbars, are a menace to

A

navigation

74
Q

…………………… further complicate ship movements near the shore.

A

Strong tides and occasional windstorms

75
Q

The UAE also extends for about …….. kilometers along the Gulf of Oman, an area known as the ……………

A

90

Al Batinah coast.

76
Q

The Al Hajar al Gharbi Mountains, rising in places to

A

2,500 meters

77
Q

The Al Hajar al Gharbi Mountains, rising in places to 2,500 meters, separate the

A

Al Batinah coast from the rest of the UAE

78
Q

The Al Hajar al Gharbi Mountains, rising in places to 2,500 meters, separate the Al Batinah coast from the rest of the UAE. Beginning at the

A

UAE-Oman border on the Arabian Gulf coast of the Ras Musandam, the Al Hajar al Gharbi Mountains extend southeastward for about 150 kilometers to the southernmost UAE-Oman frontier on the Gulf of Oman.

79
Q

The range continues as the Al Hajar ash Sharqi Mountains for more than

A

500 kilometers into Oman

80
Q

. The range continues as the Al Hajar ash Sharqi Mountains for more than 500 kilometers into Oman. The steep mountain slopes run directly to the shore in many places. Nevertheless, there are small harbors at

A

at Dibba Al-Hisn, Kalba, and Khor Fakkan on the Gulf of Oman. In the vicinity of Al Fujayrah, where the mountains do not approach the coast, there are sandy beaches.

دبا الحصن

كلبا

خور فكان

الفجيره

81
Q

……………….. are part of the Gulf of Oman desert and semi-desert eco-region.

A

These northern emirates on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman

82
Q

South and west of Abu Dhabi, vast, rolling sand dunes merge into the

A

Rub’ al Khali of Saudi Arabia.

83
Q

The desert area of Abu Dhabi includes

A

important oases with adequate underground water for permanent settlements and cultivation.

84
Q

The extensive Al Liwa Oasis is in the

A

south near the border with Saudi Arabia, and about 100 kilometers to the northeast is the Al Ain (Al Buraymi) Oasis, which extends on both sides of the UAE-Oman border.

85
Q

The climate of the UAE generally is

A

very hot and sunny

86
Q

The hottest months are

A

July and August

87
Q

. The hottest months are July and August, when average maximum temperatures reach

A

50 °C on the coastal plain.

88
Q

In the Al Hajar al Gharbi Mountains, temperatures are considerably

A

cooler, a result of increased altitude.

89
Q

. Average minimum temperatures in

A

January and February are between 10 and 14 °C.

90
Q

During the late summer months, a humid……………..wind known as………..

A

southeastern

the sharqi

91
Q

a humid southeastern wind known as the sharqi makes the

A

coastal region especially unpleasant

92
Q

The average annual rainfall in the coastal area is

A

fewer than 120 mm,

93
Q

The average annual rainfall in the coastal area is fewer than 120 mm, but in some mountainous areas annual rainfall often reaches

A

350 mm

94
Q

Rain in the coastal region falls in

A

short, torrential bursts during the summer months, sometimes resulting in floods in ordinarily dry wadi beds

95
Q

The region is prone to occasional, violent

A

dust storm, which can severely reduce visibility.

96
Q

The Jebel Jais mountain cluster in Ras al Khaimah has experienced snow only

A

three times (2004, 2009 and 2017) since records began.

97
Q

In the oases grow

A

date palms, acacia and eucalyptus trees. In the desert the flora is very sparse and consists of grasses and thorn-bushes.

98
Q

The indigenous fauna had come close to extinction because of

A

intensive hunting, which has led to a conservation program on Bani Yas island initiated by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in the 1970s, resulting in the survival of, for example, Arabian oryx and leopards.

99
Q

Coastal fish consist mainly of

A

mackerel, perch and tuna, as well as sharks and whales.

100
Q

Resources and land use:

A
  • Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas
  • Land use: arable land: 0.77%
    • Permanent crops: 2.27%
    • Irrigated land: 2,300 km²
  • Total renewable water resources: 0.2 km2
101
Q

Main Hazards:

A
  • Natural hazards: sand and dust storms, flash floods, lightning and fog.
  • Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills