How did the geographical features of arabian peninsula effect the life of arab?
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Answer: The Arabian Peninsula, the largest of its type in the world, is situated in South Asia as dividing region between Africa and Asia. It is bounded by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba on the west, the Arabian Sea on the southeast and the Gulf of Oman, the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf on the northeast. The countries politically considered as part of the peninsula are Baharin, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Except Yemen all these countries are called Gulf States and are among the richest ones in the world.
The geography of the peninsula is inbuilt with less advantages and more disadvantages. The climate of the peninsula is extremely dry and arid. Due to scant rainfall it is devoid of brimming lakes and permanent rivers. These factors make the peninsula hostile to flourishing human settlements on it. The few rivers that traverse through it are called Wadis and flow only during wet season. Due to long dry weather and scarcity of water there is no large scale agricultural development on the peninsula. The few oases found on it witness agricultural practices to some extent. The peninsula contains large central plateau, a variety of deserts, marshy coast lands, and stretches of mountains.
Even though the peninsula is devoid of conducive geographical settings for agriculture and industrial activities, its crust is abundantly endowed with oil and natural gas, the most necessary natural resources in the present day world. The natural endowment makes the countries of this region rich and powerful. As oil and natural gas are essential commodities for the world countries, the peninsular nation states use them as the sole means for establishing political clout in international sphere. The ability to use oil as a political force is institutionalized through the creation of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which is an association of all of the oil exporting countries in the region. The large influx of fund from oil and natural gas industries provide the Arab peninsular countries with an enabling ambience for carrying out rapid economic and financial sector development. Apart from having a hostile physical environment, mostly infertile soil, perennial water crisis, deserts, the Arabian Peninsualr regions are reckoned to be one of the leading global partners for their possession of oil and hydrocarbons in profusion. The socio-political environment on the peninsula is greatly affected by this oil-driven global politics.
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