The Arabian Peninsula and Arab world in photos

[Jaanbaz]

Dear it snows everywhere in the Arab world outside of Mauritania, Northern Sudan, Qatar and Bahrain. Snow has even been recorded in recent years in the mountains of Oman and UAE. In the remaining Arab countries outside of a few exceptions where it does not happen on a yearly basis (especially in the mountain regions when it occurs mostly) snow is not uncommon during winter as my photos of snowy mountains in various Arab countries clearly shows or even skiing places.

Does it snow in Saudi Arabia too? Is it recent due to global warming or some rare cases?

 

[al-Hasani]

Does it snow in Saudi Arabia too? Is it recent due to global warming or some rare cases?

It snows more or less each winter in most of the Northern regions/provinces, Northern Hijaz (especially around Tabuk since it is mostly highland) and even in most of the mountainous regions of Hijaz and the Southern regions/provinces. The last one is more rare. The amounts are rarely big though compared to other places where snow is very common. Snow along the coastline (whether the Red Sea or Gulf) is almost unheard of though.

Saudi Arabia:

[

Large parts of the Arab world was covered in heavy snow this winter. The worst snowfall in a century or something and the first time snow was recorded in Cairo in the modern era.

Palestine:

A Palestinian man stands in the snow at Damascus gate outside Jerusalem's old city. (Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)

Two Palestinian women play with snow outside al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

 

[Jaanbaz]

It snows more or less each winter in most of the Northern regions/provinces, Northern Hijaz (especially around Tabuk since it is mostly highland) and even in most of the mountainous regions of Hijaz and the Southern regions/provinces. The last one is more rare. The amounts are rarely big though compared to other places where snow is very common. Snow along the coastline (whether the Red Sea or Gulf) is almost unheard of though.

Saudi Arabia:

[

Large parts of the Arab world was covered in heavy snow this winter. The worst snowfall in a century or something and the first time snow was recorded in Cairo in the modern era.

Palestine:

A Palestinian man stands in the snow at Damascus gate outside Jerusalem's old city. (Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)

Two Palestinian women play with snow outside al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

The picture with the snow on the mountain looks stunning. I wonder if Middles East will get colder and colder. UK is getting warmer though.

 

[al-Hasani]

The picture with the snow on the mountain looks stunning. I wonder if Middles East will get colder and colder. UK is getting warmer though.

Snow is not something new but the weather is indeed getting more extreme in the Arab world as a whole. When there is heavy rains it often ends up in flooding even in places that are not prone to it. When it gets hot long-standing records are close to being broken in several countries. When it gets cold it's gets much colder than before. I mean look at this recent winter in the Arab world. It was uncalled for. Although it only lasted for 2 weeks or so if I remember.

So I am not sure if it gets colder overall (doubt it actually) but you might be right. What is certain is that the weather is getting more extreme. I think that goes for the entire world as a whole.

Saudi Arabia:

Looking At the Sun . by oldwolf., on Flickr


faifa 2011 by al_gasemy, on Flickr

Zabal Castle / قلعة زعبل (Saudi Arabia-Skaka) by Hussam Yaish, on Flickr

Uqair-50_1_2.jpg by roydaantos, on Flickr

Naval air show at royal commission in Jubail by momazo, on Flickr

Architecture HDR-Explore Front Page by TARIQ-M, on Flickr

 

[al-Hasani]

Saudi Arabia:

Typical traditional Najdi house:

 

[al-Hasani]

Saudi Arabia:

This is the largets palm tree plantation IN THE WORLD!
It is located in Al-Qassim region of Saudi Arabia and spreads over a vast 54,000,000 (fifty four MILLION) square meters. That's more than 5000 (fife thousand) hectars. In other words, the size of a city!

It belongs to Saudi Arabian Sheikh Saleh Bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Rajhi, and currently supervised by his son Sulaiman.
The total number of palm trees in this large landscape is 200,000 palm trees that produce 45 different types of Arabian dates, eventhough the well-known types of dates do not exceed 15 in other plantations!
29,000 palm trees of the sum total is organically planted (no chemicals used) and the price for these dates can really skyrocket, if you know what I mean.

What's interesting though is that approximately 40% of the total production of dates goes to charities.
When I met with the agricultural Administration of the project they told me that Sheikh Salih's vision is for the production of this plantation to reach every Saudi house in need, and even outside Saudi Arabia since they recently got the "ECOCERT" certification, which allows them to export to other countries.
This is not All, though! This project is even listed in Guinness World Records as the largest palm tree plantation in the world.

The Agricultural Administration recently issued a book, or rather a guide, on how to handle palm farms projects, which is the result of more than a decade of hard work and experience, allowing farmers to have a better perspective for such projects and solving too many problems concerning this aspect, such as palm trees' parasites, irrigation plans and much more.

Despite the gigantic size of the project, it is not the only one. There several more across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but of course not of the same size.

From another point of view, dates have a very close relationship with the Arabian culture, especially in the Arabian Peninsula. Recent researches indicate that dates are complete meals and contain an extremely high value of nutrients.
It has been mentioned in the Holy Qur'aan , and In the Islamic tradition, Prophet Mohammaed -peace be upon him- had urged upon having seven dates on each morning, as they are good for the health and protect from lots of diseases.

This was taken during my visit to Al-Qassim region.

Jood by Abdulrahman AL-Dukhaini || عبدالرحمن, on Flickr

Al Wadj Bank, Saudi Arabia (NASA, International Space Station Science, 12/30/07) by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, on Flickr

Olive fields in the Northern regions. Some of them are 10 km long!

Najdi architecture again:

Spirit of Originality by Tareq Abuhajjaj | Photography & Design, on Flickr

 

[Levina]

@al-Hasani

Brilliant pics!!!
Recently one of my cousin had gone to Morocco and he went ga-ga about the place after he returned.
How many of these places have you been to???
Thanks for the mention or I would have missed this thread.

 

[The SC]

Location of the Atlas Mountains (red) across North Africa

Atlas Mountains, series of mountain ranges in northwestern Africa, running generally southwest to northeast to form the geologic backbone of the countries of the Maghrib (the western region of the Arab world)—Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. They extend for more than 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometres), from the Moroccan port of Agadir in the southwest, to the Tunisian capital of Tunis in the northeast. Their thick rim rises to form a high sill separating the Mediterranean basin to the north from the Sahara to the south, thus constituting a barrier that hinders, without completely preventing, communication between the two regions. Across the mountains filter both air masses and human migrations. It is, however, only in the east–west direction that the Atlas Mountains facilitate movement. These are the conditions that create at the same time both the individuality and the homogeneity of the Atlas countries. Although the Saharan region is more likely to be described as the archetypal North African habitat, it is the well-watered mountains north of this vast desert that provide the foundation for the livelihood of most of the peoples of North Africa and a striking green or white background for many North African towns.

Atlas Mountains (mountains, Africa) -- Encyclopedia Britannica

 

[al-Hasani]

@al-Hasani

Brilliant pics!!!
Recently one of my cousin had gone to Morocco and he went ga-ga about the place after he returned.
How many of these places have you been to???
Thanks for the mention or I would have missed this thread.

You are welcome dear. Yes, I have been to Morocco and loved it as well. One of my favorite Arab countries. Well a great number of Arab countries but obviously not all. About half of them on top of my head. But yet you have Arab countries the size of much of Western Europe so there is so much to see. Even in KSA I am yet to visit every province or region, LOL.

Yes, this thread is hidden and the thread title is not helping either since the only thing you can see without clicking on it is "The Arabian Peninsula".

I hope that you are doing well in the UAE. Please do not hesitate to visit our section. Everyone with good intentions is welcome.

Morocco:

Al-Qarawiyyin, Fes. One of the oldest universities in the world.

Aït-ben-Haddou - Maroc - Morocco - Tapis - Carpet - Marrakech - Morocco - Maroc - Maroko - Μαρόκο - Fas - Marruecos - Marokko - Марокко - Photo Image Photography par Grand Parc - Bordeaux, France, sur Flickr


Fès 002 par Jones Indiana, sur Flickr

 

[al-Hasani]

Morocco:

Enfants sur la mer par jfgornet, sur Flickr

 

[Levina]

You are welcome dear. Yes, I have been to Morocco and loved it as well. One of my favorite Arab countries. Well a great number of Arab countries but obviously not all. About half of them on top of my head. But yet you have Arab countries the size of much of Western Europe so there is so much to see. Even in KSA I am yet to visit every province or region, LOL.

Yes, this thread is hidden and the thread title is not helping either since the only thing you can see without clicking on it is "The Arabian Peninsula".

I am not sure if I'll ever make it to KSA...would a non muslim like me be allowed in mecca ??(I could visit Sh.Zayed mosque in AUH)
My dad was in KSA recently , he liked the place.He said its pretty much like UAE.
The only other arab countries that I have been to are Kuwait and Oman and my experiences there were good.
I guess I've already told you about my salalah road trip.

I hope that you are doing well in the UAE. Please do not hesitate to visit our section. Everyone with good intentions is welcome.

I am doing fine.Believe it or not these days in UAE its very pleasant at nite. It isnt as hot as it should be.
And how about you? Would you be fasting during Ramadan??

 

[al-Hasani]

Morocco:

University of al-Qarawiyyin founded in the year 859.

"It is the oldest existing and continually operating educational institution in the world according to UNESCO and Guinness World Records[5] and is sometimes referred to as the oldest university, although some scholars dispute whether the term can be properly applied historically to institutions outside the European model.[6]"

University of al-Qarawiyyin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mosque and university Al-Qarawiyyin, Fez, Morocco by ZL-Photography, on Flickr

Fez Morocco by Chico Boomba, on Flickr

Preparations for prayer by [P]hotogr[AV] (on/off), on Flickr

ablutions à l'intérieur de la mosquée Al-Karaouine by Pierre Metivier, on Flickr

جامعة القرويين by Pierre Metivier, on Flickr

The Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque by skysa, on Flickr

the Karaouine mosque by Khraym The Cheetah, on Flickr

the Karaouine mosque by Khraym The Cheetah, on Flickr

The university was founded by an Arab woman! Fatima Al-Fihri nearly 1200 years ago!

Fatima al-Fihri - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

@levina

Of course non-Muslim women are welcome in KSA. Come on. Many non-Muslim women from across the world are a part of the society like anyone else. Well, KSA is the 13th biggest country in the world and each province/region could be a distinct country of its own. It's very different depending on the region/province. Your father must have visited regions close to UAE or just eastern parts of Najd. UAE itself is different depending on the region.

Yes, you told me about that trip of yours. Sounded very interesting. Actually I have posted photos of that area of Oman in this thread if you bother to look back. Might recognize something.

I am probably going to Paris because that's where my parents are currently and I will be back to Hijaz at the end of Ramadan. But I am not certain yet. I will have a very busy summer for lots of reasons (personal, academic etc.). But I am getting prepared for Ramadan. I am yet to eat or drink for today and I have been awake for 8-9 hours. I have a slight headache due to that so I better get something to drink or eat very soon. Fasting in Western Europe/Northern Europe during the summer is very difficult due to the very long days. I prefer the ME despite it being much warmer in general during the summer but the days are significantly shorter and Ramadan in Hijaz is the best thing ever spiritually.
I am happy to hear that everything is great with you.

 

[al-Hasani]

Palestine:

Bethlehem city
Location : Bethlehem Governorate , West Banks , PS ( مدينة بيت لحم) - Population (2007) : 25,266
Bethlehem has a Muslim majority, but is also home to one of the largest Palestinian Christian communities. ​

​

Untitled by discussionbook.com, on Flickr

Untitled by discussionbook.com, on Flickr

Untitled by discussionbook.com, on Flickr

Untitled by discussionbook.com, on Flickr

Untitled by discussionbook.com, on Flickr

Bethlehem Market by Mr. K.R., on Flickr

Nativity Light by N+C Photo, on Flickr

 

[dexter]

MashaALLAH nice share @al-Hasani brother
I thought whole Arabian penisula consost of desert

 

[al-Hasani]

Now after you have seen this thread and the nearly over 1000 photos from across the Arab World it is not necessary for me to lecture you about geography, history, where the Fertile Crescent was/is located or posting a giant face palm gif!

Palestine:

Betlehem by Alvaro F., on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

The Jacir Palace, Bethlehem by PalFest, on Flickr

Betlehem by Alvaro F., on Flickr

Untitled by orientalizing, on Flickr

Untitled by orientalizing, on Flickr

Jerusalem souk by PalFest, on Flickr

Sebastiya by angrywhitekid, on Flickr