The Hajar Mountains ( ar, جِبَال ٱلْحَجَر, Jibāl al-Ḥajar, ''The
Rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
y
Mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...
s''
or ''The Stone Mountains'') in northeastern
Oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...
and also the eastern
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...
are the highest
mountain range
A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have arise ...
in the
eastern
Eastern may refer to:
Transportation
*China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai
*Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways
*Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991
*Eastern Air Li ...
Arabian peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate ...
. Also known as "Oman Mountains",
they separate the low coastal plain of Oman from the high desert plateau, and lie inland from the
Gulf of Oman.
''Al'' () means "the", and ''Ḥajar'' () means "stone" or "rock". So ''al-Ḥajar'' () is named as "the stone" or "the rock".
Geology
Orography and tectonic setting
The Hajar Mountains extend for through the
UAE
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...
and Oman. They are located on the north-east corner of the
Arabian Plate
The Arabian Plate is a minor tectonic plate in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres.
It is one of the three continental plates (along with the African and the Indian Plates) that have been moving northward in geological history and collidin ...
, reaching from the
Musandam Peninsula
The Musandam Peninsula ( ar, جَزِيْرَة مُسَنْدَم \ رَأْس مُسَنْدَم, Jazīrat Musandam / Raʾs Musandam), locally known as Ruus Al Jibal ( ar, رُؤُوْس ٱلْجِبَال, ''Ruʾūs al-Jibāl'' Heads of the Mou ...
through to the east coast of
Oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...
. The range is about wide, with
Jabal Shams being the highest peak at 3,009 m (9,872 ft) in the central region of the mountains.
Currently, the
Arabian Plate
The Arabian Plate is a minor tectonic plate in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres.
It is one of the three continental plates (along with the African and the Indian Plates) that have been moving northward in geological history and collidin ...
is moving north relative to the
Eurasian Plate
The Eurasian Plate is a tectonic plate that includes most of the continent of Eurasia (a landmass consisting of the traditional continents of Europe and Asia), with the notable exceptions of the Indian subcontinent, the Arabian subcontinent and ...
at per year.
Continental collision
In geology, continental collision is a phenomenon of plate tectonics that occurs at convergent boundaries. Continental collision is a variation on the fundamental process of subduction, whereby the subduction zone is destroyed, mountains prod ...
is occurring at the
Zagros fold and thrust belt
The Zagros fold and thrust belt (Zagros FTB) is an approximately long zone of deformed crustal rocks, formed in the foreland of the collision between the Arabian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. It is host to one of the world's largest petroleum pr ...
west of the
Musandam Peninsula
The Musandam Peninsula ( ar, جَزِيْرَة مُسَنْدَم \ رَأْس مُسَنْدَم, Jazīrat Musandam / Raʾs Musandam), locally known as Ruus Al Jibal ( ar, رُؤُوْس ٱلْجِبَال, ''Ruʾūs al-Jibāl'' Heads of the Mou ...
. This collisional plate boundary transitions into a
subduction zone, towards the east. Here,
oceanic crust
Oceanic crust is the uppermost layer of the oceanic portion of the tectonic plates. It is composed of the upper oceanic crust, with pillow lavas and a dike complex, and the lower oceanic crust, composed of troctolite, gabbro and ultramafic cumu ...
of the
Arabian Plate
The Arabian Plate is a minor tectonic plate in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres.
It is one of the three continental plates (along with the African and the Indian Plates) that have been moving northward in geological history and collidin ...
is
subducted
Subduction is a geological process in which the oceanic lithosphere is recycled into the Earth's mantle at convergent boundaries. Where the oceanic lithosphere of a tectonic plate converges with the less dense lithosphere of a second plate, the ...
northwards beneath
Eurasia
Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Japanese archipelago a ...
, called the
Makran subduction zone.
Lithology
The geology of the Hajar can be grouped into four major
tectonostratigraphic groups. Group one are the pre-
Permian
The Permian ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system which spans 47 million years from the end of the Carboniferous Period million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Triassic Period 251.9 Mya. It is the last period of the Paleoz ...
basement rocks, a sedimentary sequence of
clastics,
carbonates
A carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid (H2CO3), characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, a polyatomic ion with the formula . The word ''carbonate'' may also refer to a carbonate ester, an organic compound containing the carbonate g ...
and
evaporite
An evaporite () is a water- soluble sedimentary mineral deposit that results from concentration and crystallization by evaporation from an aqueous solution. There are two types of evaporite deposits: marine, which can also be described as ocean ...
s. Group two are a middle
Permian
The Permian ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system which spans 47 million years from the end of the Carboniferous Period million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Triassic Period 251.9 Mya. It is the last period of the Paleoz ...
to Late
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...
sequence of
continental shelf carbonates
A carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid (H2CO3), characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, a polyatomic ion with the formula . The word ''carbonate'' may also refer to a carbonate ester, an organic compound containing the carbonate g ...
, which were deposited
unconformably
An unconformity is a buried erosional or non-depositional surface separating two rock masses or strata of different ages, indicating that sediment deposition was not continuous. In general, the older layer was exposed to erosion for an interval ...
above the basement. Group three are a series of
nappe
In geology, a nappe or thrust sheet is a large sheetlike body of rock that has been moved more than or above a thrust fault from its original position. Nappes form in compressional tectonic settings like continental collision zones or on the o ...
s (
allochthon
upright=1.6, Schematic overview of a thrust system. The hanging wall block is (when it has reasonable proportions) called a nappe. If an erosional hole is created in the nappe that is called a window (geology)">window. A klippe is a solitary out ...
ous rocks) that were transported from the northeast to the southwest horizontally for more than . This was a major tectonic event during the late
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...
. This process is called
obduction
Obduction is a geological process whereby denser oceanic crust (and even upper mantle) is scraped off a descending ocean plate at a convergent plate boundary and thrust on top of an adjacent plate. When oceanic and continental plates converge ...
, where
Permian
The Permian ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system which spans 47 million years from the end of the Carboniferous Period million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Triassic Period 251.9 Mya. It is the last period of the Paleoz ...
to middle
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...
continental slope-rise (shallow to deep marine) sedimentary rocks and late
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...
oceanic crust
Oceanic crust is the uppermost layer of the oceanic portion of the tectonic plates. It is composed of the upper oceanic crust, with pillow lavas and a dike complex, and the lower oceanic crust, composed of troctolite, gabbro and ultramafic cumu ...
(
Semail ophiolite
The Samail Ophiolite (also spelled Semail Ophiolite) of the Hajar Mountains of Oman and the United Arab Emirates is a large slab of oceanic crust, made of volcanic rocks and ultramafic rocks from the Earth's upper mantle, that was overthrust ont ...
) were thrust (obducted) above the rocks from groups one and two. Lastly, group four are late
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...
to
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...
shallow marine and terrestrial sedimentary rocks that were deposited on top of all three previous groups.
Structures
The high topography is around two major culminations: Jabal Akhdar and Saih Hatat, which are large scale
anticline
In structural geology, an anticline is a type of fold that is an arch-like shape and has its oldest beds at its core, whereas a syncline is the inverse of an anticline. A typical anticline is convex up in which the hinge or crest is the ...
s.
The Saih Hatat culmination contains
eclogite
Eclogite () is a metamorphic rock containing garnet (almandine- pyrope) hosted in a matrix of sodium-rich pyroxene (omphacite). Accessory minerals include kyanite, rutile, quartz, lawsonite, coesite, amphibole, phengite, paragonite, ...
in the northeast at As Sifah. These rocks were
subducted
Subduction is a geological process in which the oceanic lithosphere is recycled into the Earth's mantle at convergent boundaries. Where the oceanic lithosphere of a tectonic plate converges with the less dense lithosphere of a second plate, the ...
to about 80 km (50 mi) depth into the
mantle, and then
exhumed back to the surface.
This
exhumation
Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
event created possibly the largest
megasheath fold on Earth, the Wadi Mayh megasheath fold.
The common view is that these
eclogite
Eclogite () is a metamorphic rock containing garnet (almandine- pyrope) hosted in a matrix of sodium-rich pyroxene (omphacite). Accessory minerals include kyanite, rutile, quartz, lawsonite, coesite, amphibole, phengite, paragonite, ...
s were originally
basic volcanic rocks within the leading edge of the continental crust of the
Arabian Plate
The Arabian Plate is a minor tectonic plate in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres.
It is one of the three continental plates (along with the African and the Indian Plates) that have been moving northward in geological history and collidin ...
. This leading edge was then
subducted
Subduction is a geological process in which the oceanic lithosphere is recycled into the Earth's mantle at convergent boundaries. Where the oceanic lithosphere of a tectonic plate converges with the less dense lithosphere of a second plate, the ...
by a NE-dipping
subduction zone. However, some geologists have interpreted that these
eclogite
Eclogite () is a metamorphic rock containing garnet (almandine- pyrope) hosted in a matrix of sodium-rich pyroxene (omphacite). Accessory minerals include kyanite, rutile, quartz, lawsonite, coesite, amphibole, phengite, paragonite, ...
s were subducted through a SW-dipping subduction zone.
The two culminations are separated by the Semail Gap. This is a prominent linear structure, trending NNE—SSW. However, it is still debated as to what this structure is. Different geologists claim that it is a left-lateral (sinistral)
strike-slip fault, a
normal fault
In geology, a fault is a planar fracture or discontinuity in a volume of rock across which there has been significant displacement as a result of rock-mass movements. Large faults within Earth's crust result from the action of plate tecton ...
,
a lateral ramp,
a
monocline due to a blind
thrust
Thrust is a reaction force described quantitatively by Newton's third law. When a system expels or accelerates mass in one direction, the accelerated mass will cause a force of equal magnitude but opposite direction to be applied to that sys ...
,
or a
fault with multiple phases of deformation.
Modern topography
The late
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...
obduction
Obduction is a geological process whereby denser oceanic crust (and even upper mantle) is scraped off a descending ocean plate at a convergent plate boundary and thrust on top of an adjacent plate. When oceanic and continental plates converge ...
event created the proto-Hajar Mountains. However, this
topography
Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps.
Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sc ...
subsided and shallow marine sedimentation covered the region, beginning in the
Paleocene
The Paleocene, ( ) or Palaeocene, is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 66 to 56 mya (unit), million years ago (mya). It is the first epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), E ...
.
Paleocene
The Paleocene, ( ) or Palaeocene, is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 66 to 56 mya (unit), million years ago (mya). It is the first epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), E ...
to
Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene' ...
sedimentary rocks are found at above sea level within the Hajar,
and are
folded. This indicates that the present day
topography
Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps.
Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sc ...
formed ''after'' the late
Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene' ...
. The exact timing is debated, and various interpretations indicate the topography formed anywhere between the late
Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene' ...
through to the
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...
.
The driving forces that formed the Hajar is also debated. Many geologists relate the
Zagros Collision as the reason for the
uplift
Uplift may refer to: Science
* Geologic uplift, a geological process
** Tectonic uplift, a geological process
* Stellar uplift, the theoretical prospect of moving a stellar mass
* Uplift mountains
* Llano Uplift
* Nemaha Uplift
Business
* Uplif ...
forming the mountains,
as currently the
Musandam Peninsula
The Musandam Peninsula ( ar, جَزِيْرَة مُسَنْدَم \ رَأْس مُسَنْدَم, Jazīrat Musandam / Raʾs Musandam), locally known as Ruus Al Jibal ( ar, رُؤُوْس ٱلْجِبَال, ''Ruʾūs al-Jibāl'' Heads of the Mou ...
(northwest corner of the mountain range) is
uplifting due to this collision. However,
Jabal Shams, the highest peak of the central mountains is over away from this zone. In addition, there is no major
seismicity
Seismicity is a measure encompassing earthquake occurrences, mechanisms, and magnitude at a given geographical location. As such, it summarizes a region's seismic activity. The term was coined by Beno Gutenberg and Charles Francis Richter in 19 ...
within the central mountains, indicating that the mountains are not currently deforming, even though the
Zagros collision is.
This indicates that the
uplift
Uplift may refer to: Science
* Geologic uplift, a geological process
** Tectonic uplift, a geological process
* Stellar uplift, the theoretical prospect of moving a stellar mass
* Uplift mountains
* Llano Uplift
* Nemaha Uplift
Business
* Uplif ...
that created the present day
topography
Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps.
Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sc ...
occurred in the past, possibly before the initiation of the
Zagros collision, by a mechanism that is not fully understood.
Geoconservation
![Geotimes Pillow Lavas in Wadi Jizz, Oman](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Geotimes_Pillow_Lavas_in_Wadi_Jizz%2C_Oman.jpg)
Oman's geological record is extremely valuable to geologists, and needs to be
preserved.
It contains the most complete
ophiolite
An ophiolite is a section of Earth's oceanic crust and the underlying upper mantle that has been uplifted and exposed above sea level and often emplaced onto continental crustal rocks.
The Greek word ὄφις, ''ophis'' (''snake'') is found ...
on Earth, of which it is most famous for among geologists. The
ophiolite
An ophiolite is a section of Earth's oceanic crust and the underlying upper mantle that has been uplifted and exposed above sea level and often emplaced onto continental crustal rocks.
The Greek word ὄφις, ''ophis'' (''snake'') is found ...
sequence has spectacular
pillow basalt
Basalt (; ) is an aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the surface of a rocky planet or moon. More than 90% of a ...
(Geotimes pillow lava), as well as exposures of the fossil crust-mantle boundary (
moho). Generally,
ophiolite
An ophiolite is a section of Earth's oceanic crust and the underlying upper mantle that has been uplifted and exposed above sea level and often emplaced onto continental crustal rocks.
The Greek word ὄφις, ''ophis'' (''snake'') is found ...
s are
obducted prior to
continental collision
In geology, continental collision is a phenomenon of plate tectonics that occurs at convergent boundaries. Continental collision is a variation on the fundamental process of subduction, whereby the subduction zone is destroyed, mountains prod ...
, which highly deforms the structure of the original
oceanic crust
Oceanic crust is the uppermost layer of the oceanic portion of the tectonic plates. It is composed of the upper oceanic crust, with pillow lavas and a dike complex, and the lower oceanic crust, composed of troctolite, gabbro and ultramafic cumu ...
. However, because
continental collision
In geology, continental collision is a phenomenon of plate tectonics that occurs at convergent boundaries. Continental collision is a variation on the fundamental process of subduction, whereby the subduction zone is destroyed, mountains prod ...
has not occurred in the Hajar, the Semail
ophiolite
An ophiolite is a section of Earth's oceanic crust and the underlying upper mantle that has been uplifted and exposed above sea level and often emplaced onto continental crustal rocks.
The Greek word ὄφις, ''ophis'' (''snake'') is found ...
is still intact. Oman also has one of the best exposed
mega-sheath folds ever discovered, the Wadi Mayh sheath fold.
Additionally, the relatively small outcrop of
eclogite
Eclogite () is a metamorphic rock containing garnet (almandine- pyrope) hosted in a matrix of sodium-rich pyroxene (omphacite). Accessory minerals include kyanite, rutile, quartz, lawsonite, coesite, amphibole, phengite, paragonite, ...
is important. Eclogite is rare on the Earths surface, as it is a rock that forms at high pressures deep within the
crust or
mantle. Geologists can learn about what is occurring in the Earths interior and tectonic processes from these rocks. There are also various fossil localities in Oman that need to be protected. There is concern in the geological community that with the development of infrastructure these rocks that contain a great deal of information will be excavated and destroyed.
Geography
Central Hajar
![Jebel Shams](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Jebel_Shams.jpg)
The central section of the Hajar is the highest and wildest terrain in the country.
Jabal Shams is the highest of the range,
followed by
Jebel Akhdar. The latter
and the smaller Jebel Nakhl range are bounded on the east by the low
Sama'il Valley
Samāʾil ( ar, سَمَائِل) is a Wilayah (province) located in Ad-Dakhiliyah Region of the Sultanate of Oman.
Sama'il Valley
The valley or wadi of Sama'il, also referred to as the "Sumail Gap", divides Al Hajar Mountains into the Easte ...
(which leads northeast to
Muscat
Muscat ( ar, مَسْقَط, ) is the capital and most populated city in Oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is s ...
).
Eastern Hajar
East of Samail are the Eastern Hajar ( ar, ٱلْحَجَر ٱلشَّرْقِي, Al-Ḥajar Ash-Sharqī), which run east (much closer to the coast) to the port city of
Sur,
almost at the easternmost point of Oman.
Western Hajar
![Landscape Outside Al Hoota (225621719)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Landscape_Outside_Al_Hoota_%28225621719%29.jpeg/1200px-Landscape_Outside_Al_Hoota_%28225621719%29.jpeg)
The mountains to the west of Sama'il Valley, particularly those in Musandam Peninsula and the UAE,
are known as the Western Hajar ( ar, ٱلْحَجَر ٱلْغَرْبِي, Al-Ḥajar Al-Gharbī),
also known as the "
Oman proper
The Imamate of Oman ( ar, إِمَامَة عُمَان, Imāmat ʿUmān, links=no) refers to a historical state within the ''Oman proper'' ( ar, عُمَان ٱلْوُسْطَى, ʿUmān al-Wusṭā) in the present-day Al Hajar Mountains in S ...
". Since Jabal Akhdar and mountains in its vicinity are west of the valley, they may be regarded as Western Hajar.
Outlier(s)
In the
region of Tawam,
which includes the adjacent settlements of
Al-Buraimi
Al-Buraimi ( ar, ٱلْبُرَيْمِي, Al-Buraymī) is an oasis city and a wilayah (province) in northern Oman, on the border between Oman and the United Arab Emirates. It is the capital of the Al Buraimi Governorate. An adjacent city on the U ...
and
Al Ain
Al Ain ( ar, ٱلْعَيْن, , ) is a city in the western side of Tawam (region), Tuwwam region and the seat of the administrative division of its namesake, Al-Ain Region, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. ...
on the border of Oman and the UAE
Emirate of Abu Dhabi
The Emirate of Abu Dhabi (, , or ; ar, إِمَارَةْ أَبُوظَبِي , ) is one of seven emirates that constitute the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is by far the largest emirate, accounting for 87% of the nation's total land area o ...
, lies
Jebel Hafeet
Jabal Hafeet ( ar, جَبَل حَفِيْت, Jabal Ḥafīt, "Mount Hafeet"; variously transcribed Jabal, Jabel or Jebal and Hafit or Hafeet – literally "empty mountain") is a mountain in the region of Tawam, on the border of the United Arab ...
(),
which can be considered an
outlier of the Hajar. Due to its proximity to the main Hajar range,
it may be treated as being part of the range, ''
sensu lato
''Sensu'' is a Latin word meaning "in the sense of". It is used in a number of fields including biology, geology, linguistics, semiotics, and law. Commonly it refers to how strictly or loosely an expression is used in describing any particular c ...
''.
This mountain has
ridges which stretch northwards to the city of Al Ain.
''Ru'us al-Jibal''
![Ru'us al-Jabal (36854939106)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Ru%27us_al-Jabal_%2836854939106%29.jpg)
The northernmost mountains of the Hajar range are found on the Musandam Peninsula. For this reason, the phrase ''
Ru'us al-Jibal
The Musandam Peninsula ( ar, جَزِيْرَة مُسَنْدَم \ رَأْس مُسَنْدَم, Jazīrat Musandam / Raʾs Musandam), locally known as Ruus Al Jibal ( ar, رُؤُوْس ٱلْجِبَال, ''Ruʾūs al-Jibāl'' Heads of the Mou ...
'' ("Heads of the Mountains") is applied to them, or the peninsula itself. Despite being physically part of the western Hajar, they differ in geology and hydrology to the rest of the range.
The highest point in the UAE is located at
Jebel Jais
Jebel Jais ( ar, جَبَل جَيْس, Jabal Jays) is a mountain of the North- Western Hajar range in the Musandam Governorate of Oman and also in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. The summit has an elevation of . The summit is located on the ...
near
Ras Al Khaimah
Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) ( ar, رَأْس ٱلْخَيْمَة, historically Julfar) is the largest city and capital of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. It is the sixth-largest city in UAE after Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain ...
, which measures from sea level,
but since the summit is on the Omani side,
Jabal Yibir, measuring over , has the highest peak in the UAE.
''Shumayliyyah''
![Area in Fujeirah](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Area_in_Fujeirah.jpg)
The mountains bordering the ''Shamailiyyah'' () coast on the Gulf of Oman, forming parts of the northern
UAE Emirates of
Sharjah
Sharjah (; ar, ٱلشَّارقَة ', Gulf Arabic: ''aš-Šārja'') is the third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi, forming part of the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area.
Sharjah is the capital o ...
, Ras Al-Khaimah and
Fujairah
Fujairah City ( ar, الفجيرة) is the capital of the emirate of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. It is the seventh-largest city in UAE, located on the Gulf of Oman (part of the Indian Ocean). It is the only Emirati capital city on the ...
,
may also be called the ''Shumayliyyah'' ().
In this region is Jebel Al-Ḥeben (; ).
Flora and fauna
![Oman east coast (4)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Oman_east_coast_%284%29.jpg)
The mountains are rich in
plant
Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclud ...
life compared to most of Arabia, including a number of endemic species. The vegetation changes with altitude, the mountains are covered with shrubland at lower elevations, growing richer and then becoming woodland, including wild
olive
The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' ...
and
fig
The fig is the edible fruit of ''Ficus carica'', a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, it has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the world ...
trees between , and then higher still there are
junipers. Fruit trees such as
pomegranate
The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punicoideae, that grows between tall.
The pomegranate was originally described throughout the Mediterranean Basin, Mediterranean re ...
and
apricot are grown in the cooler valleys and in places there are rocky outcrops with little vegetation. The flora shows similarities with mountain areas of nearby
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, as well as with areas along the
Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; T ...
in the
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...
. For example, the tree ''
Ceratonia oreothauma
''Ceratonia oreothauma'' is a species of tree native to Oman and Somaliland.
Description
''Ceratonia oreothauma'' is a small tree with gnarled branches and rough bark which grows up to 8 meters high. It is evergreen, with singly-pinnate leaves b ...
'' is found here and also in
Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
.
A number of birds are found in the mountains including
Egyptian
Egyptian describes something of, from, or related to Egypt.
Egyptian or Egyptians may refer to:
Nations and ethnic groups
* Egyptians, a national group in North Africa
** Egyptian culture, a complex and stable culture with thousands of years of ...
and
lappet-faced vulture
The lappet-faced vulture or Nubian vulture (''Torgos tracheliotos'') is an Old World vulture belonging to the bird order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only member of the genus ''Torgos''. It i ...
s (''Torgos tracheliotus''). Mammals include
mountain gazelle
The mountain gazelle (''Gazella gazella''), also called the Palestine mountain gazelle, is a species of gazelle widely but unevenly distributed.
Description
Mountain gazelle are one of the few mammals in which both sexes have horns. Males ha ...
s (''Gazella gazella'') and the
Arabian tahr
The Arabian tahr (''Arabitragus jayakari'') is a species of tahr native to eastern Arabia. Until recently, it was placed in the genus ''Hemitragus'', but genetic evidence supports its removal to a separate monotypic genus, ''Arabitragus''.
T ...
(''Arabitragus jayakari'').
Other endemic species include a number of geckos and lizards: ''
Asaccus montanus'', ''
Asaccus platyrhynchus'' and a
subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
of Wadi Kharrar rock gecko (''
Pristurus gallagheri'') are found only in Oman while Musandam leaf-toed gecko (''
Asaccus caudivolvulus''), Gallagher's leaf-toed gecko (''
Asaccus gallagheri''), Oman rock gecko (''
Pristurus celerrimus''), Jayakar lizard (''
Omanosaura jayakari'') and Oman blue-tailed lizard (''
Omanosaura cyanura'') are found only in the Hajar. The endangered
Arabian leopard
The Arabian leopard (''Panthera pardus nimr'') is a leopard subspecies native to the Arabian Peninsula. It has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1996 as fewer than 200 wild individuals were estimated to be alive i ...
(''Panthera pardus nimr'') had been recorded here,
particularly in the area of
Khasab
Khasab ( ar, خَصَب, Ḫaṣab) is a city and local capital of the Musandam Governorate which is an exclave of Oman bordering the United Arab Emirates at the tip of the Musandam Peninsula by the Strait of Hormuz. It has been dubbed the "Norw ...
in
northern part of the Musandam.
Like the ''Ru'us al-Jibal'',
the area of Jebel Hafeet is noted for hosting rare flora and fauna.
For example, in February 2019, an
Arabian caracal was sighted here,
and in March, a
Blanford's fox
Blanford's fox (''Vulpes cana'') is a small fox native to the Middle East and Central Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Naming
Blanford's fox is named after the English naturalist William Thomas Blanford, who described ...
,
which has also been reported in the mountains of Ras Al-Khaimah.
[ 10.1:23–24]
Threats and preservation
The Hajar are extensively grazed by domestic goats, camels and donkeys and the landscape has been cleared in parts for urban areas and for mining, which has damaged both vegetation and water supplies and uprooted traditional rural land management behaviours. Poaching of wildlife is another issue. The Oman government has created the Wadi Sareen Reserve and an area of Jebel Qahwan-Jebal Sebtah in the Eastern Hajar, for the protection of Arabian tahr and mountain gazelle. For visitors, there is a road into the mountains from the town of Birkat al-Mawz (on the road to
Nizwa
Nizwa ( ar, نِزْوَى, Nizwā) is the largest city in Ad Dakhiliyah Region in Oman and was the capital of Oman proper. Nizwa is about (1.5 hours) from Muscat. The population is estimated at around 72,000 people, including the two areas o ...
from Muscat) and a walking route through Wadi al-Muaydin to the Saiq Plateau.
Trekking and hiking
There are 11 marked trails/routes of varying intensity (between Grade 1 to 3) and duration (between 1.5 hours to 18 hours) published by Ministry of Tourism, Oman along the Hajar range. Some areas are inaccessible, and requires special equipment, as shown in a
Steve Backshall
Stephen James Backshall (born 21 April 1973) is an English naturalist, explorer, presenter and writer, best known for BBC TV's ''Deadly 60''.
His other BBC work includes being part of the expedition teams in ''Lost Land of the Tiger'', ''Lo ...
TV documentary.
See also
*
Gabal Hagar El Zarqa
Gabal Hagar El Zarqa ( ar, جَـبَـل حَـجَـر الـزَّرْقَـاء, Jabal Ḥajar az-Zarqā’) is the highest point in Bir Tawil, an unclaimed area in the Nubian desert between Egypt and Sudan in Northeast Africa. Due to a long-s ...
*
Hafit period
The Hafit period defines early Bronze Age human settlement in the United Arab Emirates and Oman in the period from 3200 to 2600 BC. It is named after the distinctive beehive burials first found on Jebel Hafit, a rocky mountain near Al Ain, borde ...
*
Hatta Heritage Village
*
List of tourist attractions in the United Arab Emirates
This is a list of the popular tourist attractions in the United Arab Emirates, by Emirates of the United Arab Emirates, Emirate, except for shared attractions, such as Arabian Peninsula#Mountains, mountains shared by different emirates
Abu Dhab ...
*
Hills of Masirah Island
*
Ras al-Jinz
Raʾs al-Jinz ( ar, رَأْس ٱلْجِنْز) or ''Raʾs al-Junayz'' ( ar, رَأْس ٱلْجُنَيْز), located in Ash-Sharqiyyah South Governorate, Oman, is the easternmost point of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a nesting site for green ...
References
Bibliography
*
*
External links
*
Hiking: The Highest Points in the UAE
{{DEFAULTSORT:Al Hajjar
Mountains of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah
Mountains of the Emirate of Fujairah
*Al Hajar
Mountain ranges of the United Arab Emirates