Arabian Peninsula, Peninsula in West Asia.
The Arabian Peninsula stretches between the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Sea, covering roughly 3.2 million square kilometers. It includes several countries, among them Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain.
The peninsula was for centuries a network of trade routes linking Africa, Asia, and Europe. The discovery of oil reserves in the 1930s transformed the region into an economic center of global importance.
The peninsula is home to Mecca and Medina, where millions of pilgrims travel each year to fulfill religious obligations. Weekly markets in many towns display regional produce, spices, and traditional crafts passed down through generations.
Cities such as Dubai, Riyadh, and Jeddah offer international air connections and serve as starting points for travel across the region. The climate varies widely, with hot summers in the interior and milder temperatures along coastal areas.
The Rub al-Khali in the southern part of the peninsula is the largest continuous sand desert in the world. Coastal areas host traditional dhow shipyards where wooden sailing vessels are built using methods unchanged for centuries.
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