U.A.E Geography |
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UAE Geography |
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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) occupies an area roughly the size of Portugal along the south-eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, close to the entrance of the Arabian Gulf. Four-fifths of the UAE is desert, yet it is a country of contrasting landscapes, from the towering red dunes of the Liwa to the rich palm-filled oases of Al Ain, from the precipitous Hajar Mountains to the more fertile stretches of its coastal plains.
Offshore islands, low-lying islets, mangrove stands, khors (tidal inlets) and white sandy beaches characterise the shallow Arabian Gulf coast that borders the deserts of Abu Dhabi, stretching northwards past Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain and into the mountainous reaches of Ra’s al-Khaimah. |
On the East Coast, the mountains fall to gravel plains, beyond which the deep oceanic waters of the Gulf of Oman wash against the dramatic shoreline and spectacular beaches of Fujairah.
Straddling the Tropic of Cancer, the UAE is warm and sunny in winter and hot and humid during the summer months. Winter daytime temperatures average a very pleasant 26°C, although nights can be relatively cool, between 12°C to 15°C on the coast, and less than 5°C in the depths of the desert or high in the mountains.
Summer temperatures are in the mid-40s, but can be higher inland. Humidity in coastal areas averages between 50 and 60 per cent, touching over 90 per cent in summer and autumn. Inland it is far less humid. Rainfall is sparse and intermittent.
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U.A.E Geography |
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©2007 UAE Embassy In Washington DC
