Arabian Desert: What's there to see there?

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The Arabian Desert has a hot subtropical desert climate, similar to that of the Sahara Desert, the Arabian Desert is actually an extension of the Sahara Desert over the Arabian Peninsula. The climate is mainly dry. Most areas get about 100 mm (3.9 in) of rainfall per year.

Show key points

  • The Arabian Desert, spanning about
  • 3 million square kilometers, is the second largest desert in the world after the Sahara.
  • Known as the "Empty Quarter" or Rub' al Khali, it hosts the world’s largest expanse of continuous sand and stretches across several countries including Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
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  • This desert experiences a scorching hot subtropical climate, with extreme summer temperatures reaching up to 130°F (55°C) and minimal annual rainfall.
  • Rich in oil resources, the Arabian Desert has become the most productive oil region globally, thanks to sedimentary formations dating back millions of years.
  • Though mostly arid today, the Arabian Desert was green during wet climatic phases, the latest occurring between 11,000 and 5,500 years ago.
  • Over 153 million people live on the Arabian Peninsula, with major urban centers situated along its coasts for trade and energy accessibility.
  • Dubai offers a range of desert safari activities like dune bashing, quad biking, sandboarding, camel rides, and luxury camping, making it a hotspot for adventurous tourism.

What is the Arabian Desert called?

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The Empty Quarter: The world's largest and driest sand desert – the "Empty Quarter" – located predominantly in Saudi Arabia, crossing into Yemen and Oman on its southern edges, and the United Arab Emirates in the east. The longest continuous area of sand in the world has been found in the Empty Quarter desert. Oil was not discovered in the area until 1936. The Arabian Desert is a vast desert region that stretches across the entire Arabian Peninsula, located in the far southwest of Asia. With an area of about 2,300,000 square kilometers, it is the largest desert area on the continent and the second largest desert area on earth, surpassed only in size by the Sahara Desert in North Africa.

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What is the Arabian Desert rich in?

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Nearly 33 million years ago, as early as the Oligocene, the Arabian Peninsula began to separate from Africa. Huge amounts of oil formed among those sedimentary rock layers, making the Arabian Desert the richest oil-producing region in the world.

Was the Arabian Desert ever green?

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The wet phases led to the greening of the Arabian Sahara Desert and facilitated prehistoric human migrations from East Africa to Asia and Europe. The most recent of these wet periods occurred approximately 11,000 to 5,500 years ago.

How many people live in the Arabian Desert?

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As of 2020, the Arabian Peninsula was home to more than 153.1 million people and population growth continues to expand. The region's major population centers, such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait City, Qatar City, and Sana'a in Yemen, are located on the coasts to make the most of trade routes and access to oil reserves.

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Interesting facts about the Arabian Desert

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It is the second largest desert in the world, as the Sahara Desert is the largest.It contains many mountains, the highest of which is Mount Nabi Shuaib in Yemen with an altitude of 3760 m. The height of Jabal al-Sham in Oman is 3035 meters, and Jabal al-Lawz in the Hijaz region of Saudi Arabia is 2580 meters.

How old is the Arabian desert?

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The Arabian Desert consists of two main regions. The first is the ancient Arab platform (part of the African Shield), located in the west. They were formed mainly in the Precambrian period (dating back approximately 2.6 billion to 541 million years) and were compiled approximately 900 to 541 million years ago.

How hot is the Arabian Desert?

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صورة من unsplash

The Arabian Desert stretches across a latitude of 22° and from 12° to 34° north; although most of the desert lies north of the Tropic of Cancer, it is usually considered a tropical desert. Summer heat is intense, with temperatures reaching 130°F (55°C) in some places. The heat inside is dry. Dubai is one of the most popular places for travelers and the demand for it remains consistently high for holidays. Since Dubai unveiled its architectural marvel – Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, tourism has seen a huge boom. Despite this, they have palm islands built on the sea and the Dubai Trade Centre which has a huge ski range inside along with an aquarium and underwater zoo, but Dubai is not only known for its modern architecture. The truth is that it has everything you wish for. But desert safari in Dubai has its special significance because the place is very natural and far from civilized land.

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Here are some activities that will make your desert safari experience hugely enlightening and memorable.

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Ride the slippery dunes: If you've never been to a desert before, this is your chance to explore the entire desert. Safari in the desert of Dubai can be fully enjoyed as there are huge and wide sand dunes. You can simply get an SUV with an experienced driver provided by your tour manager and drive around the desert while going up, down, and sliding over the sand. On your way, you'll see a few points where you can take one of the best photos, preferably during sunrise or sunset.

Quad biking: Ask the taxi driver to take you to the famous quad bike site and jump on one of them to explore the sand-filled landscape. These quad bikes are fast and powerful enough to take you up, backwards and vice versa, however, you should always use a helmet even if you know you're riding on sand.

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Sand boarding: If you're a true adrenaline fan, there's nothing for you other than sandboarding. There are many providers that provide sand slabs for rent. It's one of the nice experiences that is hard to find elsewhere. To ride the board, you must have a good skiing experience and preferably figure skating. However, if you want to enjoy it without any prior experience, do so to quell your desire for excitement but stay safe.

Camel Safari: I'm not sure if you know for a fact that camels are called desert ships. Yes, they can run faster and longer in the desert than any other organism. It will be a great experience to ride the means of travel that has existed in the UAE since ancient times.

Camping: Camping in the desert is absolutely fascinating. You'll never feel the same way when camping anywhere else. All camps and resorts in the desert offer activities such as bonfires, music, belly dancing, finger licking, delicious snacks and dinner. Near the tent, gaze at the stars with your partner or friends and spend the night celebrating with others.

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The best way to enjoy most activities is to book a full package of desert safari in Dubai. The package will include the activities you want to try according to your preference and preferences. Plus, you don't have to worry about running your own tour, so book it today for the best fun in the stunning Arabian desert.

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