fbpx

KidsKonnect

Arabian Peninsula Facts & Worksheets

The peninsula in southwest Asia and northeast Africa is known as the Arabian Peninsula or Arabia.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /Geography /Arabian Peninsula Facts & Worksheets

Premium
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

The peninsula in southwest Asia and northeast Africa is known as the Arabian Peninsula or Arabia. Due to its oil and natural gas deposits, the peninsula, which is largely desolate, is a geopolitically significant area of the Middle East. Arab and Muslim people make up the majority of the population in the area.

See the fact file below for more information on the Arabian Peninsula, or you can download our 26-page Arabian Peninsula worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

  • The Arabian Sea (a portion of the Indian Ocean) borders the peninsula’s southeast and northeast, while the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba border its west coast. The Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman border the peninsula’s northeast.
  • The Arabian Peninsula is a geographical region that includes parts of Jordan and Iraq. The northern borders of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, however, divide the peninsula politically from the rest of Asia. 
  • Politically speaking, the following nations are included in the peninsula: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
  • These countries, which are together referred to as the Arab Gulf states, are among the richest in the world, with Yemen being the sole exception.

GEOGRAPHY

  • The Arabian Peninsula has a very dry and arid environment. It experiences extremely low yearly rainfall, as is typical in the vicinity. It receives little precipitation and has few lakes or permanent rivers, which create an exceedingly dry landscape unsuitable for developing civilized civilizations. 
  • The few wadis (rivers) that do exist in the area are only full during the rainy seasons. The wadis are dry at any other time of the day or night. The paucity of water and the arid climate prevents the growth of large-scale agriculture. Only in the vicinity of the oases, which are rare in number in such a vast desert, can farming take place.
  • Geographically, the Arabian Peninsula’s landscape comprises a sizable central plateau, several deserts, marshy coastlands, and stretches of mountains. The peninsula’s centerpiece is the central plateau, which rises to an incredible 2,500 feet in height. Unlike many others, the Arabian Peninsula’s central plateau descends slowly in the direction of the Gulf. 
  • Due to its location on a tectonic plate that is entirely distinct from any other continents, some geologists contend that the Arabian Peninsula should actually be categorized as a subcontinent. The tectonic plate that the Arabian Peninsula is located on, according to the scientists who support this view, is gradually pulling away from the plate that lies beneath northeast Africa.

CLIMATE, PLANTS, and ANIMALS

  • The Arabian Peninsula is known for its stifling heat, which may reach 129 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer. The southern highlands and coastal regions experience extremely high humidity throughout the summer, despite much of the interior being dry. Fogs and dews, which act as rain, can fall in these humid locations as well.
  • Occasionally, severe rains fall in desert regions, flooding wadis. However, droughts could linger for years. 
  • The high levels of precipitation in the south and southwest are a result of the monsoon. The Mediterranean monsoons that blow south across Rub al-Khali and towards Yemen in the north originate in the northern sections of the Mediterranean.
  • Arabia is solely ideal for desert species because it is frequently hot and dry virtually all year round. Date palms are, nevertheless, widespread everywhere but Dhofar.
  • Dates are a well-liked food item, and regions like Bishah and Medina are renowned for their superior dates. Coconut trees are abundant along the coast, while the entire peninsula is covered in cereals like sorghum, wheat, millet, and barley.
  • The peninsula is also home to acacia, mimosa, cactus, aloe, oleander, junipers, tamarisk, and food plants.
  • Camels offered milk, food, and fuel (dung), and they served as the primary mode of transportation in the desert. 
  • Deadly snakes include desert species like cobras, horned vipers, and striped sea snakes.

HISTORY

  • The first human fossil discovered in Arabia dates back 90,000 years, and people have lived on the Arabian Peninsula for thousands of years. The Arabian Peninsula did not support any significant ancient civilizations (which depended on rivers), unlike the Sumerian and Egyptian civilizations to the north and east, because of the region’s harsh desert climate. Instead, the majority of residents continued to lead nomadic lives.
  • However, some 4,000 years ago, they tamed camels rather than continuing to be hunters or gatherers. The first Bedouins were these ancient nomadic pastoralists.
  • Around 5,000 years ago, the Arabian Peninsula also began to be inhabited by tiny coastal fishing towns in addition to nomadic pastoralists. Small agricultural villages in the south received the necessary hydration from rainfall.
  •  These little villages eventually developed into small towns, which served as the cradle of the early Arabian civilizations. 
  • Urban residents were not the only ones who lived in an organized society. Instead, the Bedu created extensive organized tribal social institutions and even started their own kingdoms, raiding and occupying cities. The Quraysh were one such rural tribe that conquered Mecca around 500 CE.
  • Pre-Islamic Arabia was characterized by a number of civilizations, notably the Dilmun Civilization in Eastern Arabia and the Kingdoms of Awsan, Himyarite, and Main in South Arabia. Around the seventh century, Islam started to spread across the peninsula. The originator of Islam, Prophet Muhammad, was born in Mecca in 570, and he started preaching about 610. Twelve years later, he moved to Medina, where he brought the Arabian tribes under the banner of Islam.

ECONOMY

  • The Arabian Peninsula is home to some of the richest nations in the world in terms of GDP per capita. For instance, the UAE is the sixth richest nation in the world, while Qatar is the third-richest nation after Luxembourg and Singapore. 
  • The enormous supplies of oil and natural gas power the peninsula’s economy. The world’s largest oil producer, Saudi Arabia, accounts for around 15% of global production and has about 17% of the world’s proven oil reserves. Petroleum products make up more than half of the Arabian Peninsula’s exports.
  • Many of the essential services for governments in the region, such as the funding for building projects or the financial services industry, are also provided by the wealth influx from the oil business.
  • The peninsula countries’ main source of wealth is tourism. Each year, millions of people travel to Arabia as a result of its popularity as a cultural and religious destination. 
  • Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Kuwait City are more travel destinations in the Arabian Peninsula.
  • The Persian Gulf’s oyster beds have produced some of the best pearls in the world for millennia. 
  • Bahrain was the main producer of pearls throughout the prosperous era of pearling.
  • Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar are currently pearling as well. 
  • The prosperous oil business supports the region’s robust construction and service sectors as well.

Arabian Peninsula Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the Arabian Peninsula across 26 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the Arabian Peninsula. The peninsula in southwest Asia and northeast Africa is known as the Arabian Peninsula or Arabia. Due to its oil and natural gas deposits, the peninsula, which is largely desolate, is a geopolitically significant area of the Middle East.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Arabian Peninsula Facts
  2. Arabian PIN-insula
  3. Camel did you know?
  4. Bedouins
  5. Arabian Lies
  6. Take Me to the Arabs
  7. The Poorest
  8. The Next Tallest
  9. When You Believe
  10. To City and Beyond
  11. A Whole New World

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Arabian Peninsula located?

The Arabian Peninsula is a vast landmass in Southwest Asia, primarily situated in the Arabian subcontinent. It is bordered by the Red Sea to the west, the Arabian Sea to the south, the Persian Gulf to the northeast, and the Gulf of Oman to the east.

Which countries are located on the Arabian Peninsula?

The Arabian Peninsula includes several countries. Some of the major countries on the peninsula are Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Additionally, a small portion of Jordan and Iraq are also considered part of the Arabian Peninsula.

What is the climate like on the Arabian Peninsula?

The climate of the Arabian Peninsula is generally arid and characterized by hot summers and mild winters. It experiences desert and semi-desert conditions, with vast stretches of sand dunes and rocky plateaus. The region is known for its extreme heat and limited rainfall.

What are some significant geographical features of the Arabian Peninsula?

The Arabian Peninsula has several notable geographical features, including the Rub’ al Khali (Empty Quarter), one of the world’s largest sand deserts. It also contains the Hijaz Mountains along the western coast and the Asir Mountains in the southwest. The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden border the western and southern coasts, while the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman flank the eastern coast.

What is the cultural significance of the Arabian Peninsula?

The Arabian Peninsula holds immense cultural importance as the birthplace of Islam. Both Mecca and Medina, two of the holiest cities in Islam, are located in western Saudi Arabia. The region is rich in Arab heritage, with its unique language, customs, and traditions. Additionally, the Arabian Peninsula has a long history of nomadic Bedouin cultures and ancient trade routes that connected civilizations across continents.

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Arabian Peninsula Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 23, 2023

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources