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 Mountains),
is a
peninsula
A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on a ...
that forms the northeastern point of the
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 Plat ...
. It is located to the south of the
Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz ( fa, تنگه هرمز ''Tangeh-ye Hormoz'' ar, مَضيق هُرمُز ''Maḍīq Hurmuz'') is a strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the o ...
between the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bo ...
and
Gulf of Oman
The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman ( ar, خليج عمان ''khalīj ʿumān''; fa, دریای عمان ''daryâ-ye omân''), also known as Gulf of Makran or Sea of Makran ( ar, خلیج مکران ''khalīj makrān''; fa, دریای مکرا ...
.
It is inhabited by the
Shihuh tribe and is mainly governed by
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 ...
as the
Musandam Governorate
The Musandam Governorate ( ar, مُحَافَظَة مُسَنْدَم, Muḥāfaẓat Musandam) is a governorate of Oman. With the exception of the exclave of Madha, it is located on the Musandam Peninsula, which juts into the Strait of Hormu ...
with certain parts governed by the
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (Middle East, The Middle East). It is ...
, including
Ras Al Khaimah and parts of
Dibba.
Climate, geology and geography
Land features include the
Western Hajar Mountains. Since these are the northernmost of
the Hajar range, they and the peninsula are referred to as
Ruʾūs al-Jibāl ( ar, رُؤُوْس ٱلْجِبَال, Heads of the Mountains).
The largest
Wadi
Wadi ( ar, وَادِي, wādī), alternatively ''wād'' ( ar, وَاد), North African Arabic Oued, is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some instances, it may refer to a wet (ephemeral) riverbed that contains water ...
in Mussandam is
Wadi Bih, which forms the central
drainage basin
A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...
.
The highest Mountain in Mussandam, and Ru'us al Jibal, i
Jebel Harim which measures from sea level.
The highest point in Mussandam and the UAE, and the highest point in UAE generally, is
Jebel Jais, in
Ras Al Khaimah, which measures from sea level,
however since the parent peak,
Jebel Bil Ays, is located in Oman,
Jebel Al Mebrah at is the highest mountain in the UAE with a prominence of or greater.
During winter, the region can be fairly cool, particularly the mountains of Jais, Yanas ( ar, يَنَس; ) and Mebrah.
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 Musandam Governorate
The Musandam Governorate ( ar, مُحَافَظَة مُسَنْدَم, Muḥāfaẓat Musandam) is a governorate of Oman. With the exception of the exclave of Madha, it is located on the Musandam Peninsula, which juts into the Strait of Hormu ...
, Oman
File:Jebel Jais, Tallest Mountain of UAE 02.jpg, Jebel Jais, the UAE's highest point, near Ras Al Khaimah
Fauna and flora
Fauna
Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is '' flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. ...
include the
Ruus al Jibal fan-footed gecko,
and
caracal
The caracal (''Caracal caracal'') () is a medium-sized wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and arid areas of Pakistan and northwestern India. It is characterised by a robust build, long legs, a short face, long tufted ...
. It is unknown if the
Arabian leopard is still present.
House sparrow
The house sparrow (''Passer domesticus'') is a bird of the Old World sparrow, sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of and a mass of . Females and young birds are coloured pale ...
(''Passer domesticus'')
File:Rock semaphore gecko (pristurus rupestris) (12801641984).jpg, Rock semaphore gecko (''Pristurus rupestris'')
See also
*
List of tourist attractions in the United Arab Emirates
References
{{reflist
External links
Hiking: The Highest Points in the UAE