Arabia


a peninsula in sw asia, including , yemen arab republic, people’s democratic republic of yemen, oman, the united arab emirates, qatar, and kuwait: divided in ancient times into , , and . about 1,000,000 sq. mi. (2,600,000 sq. km).
contemporary examples

editor’s note: this article has been updated to reflect the cancellation of alice in arabia.
hollywood’s major muslim problem doesn’t end with ‘alice in arabia’ dean obeidallah march 21, 2014

for america the historic changes in arabia are going to be hard to manage, easy to fumble.
bahrain uprising: high stakes for the u.s. bruce riedel february 18, 2011

his sermons inspired many to “join the caravan” of islamic extremism both in the west and arabia.
al qaeda’s not dead yet bruce riedel september 29, 2011

who better to write a book about lawrence of arabia as both a marketing idea and a practical one?
t.e. lawrence rides again in scott anderson’s new history melik kaylan august 6, 2013

the other monarchs of arabia, meanwhile, would be in jeopardy if revolution comes to saudi arabia.
revolution in the kingdom of saudi arabia? bruce riedel january 19, 2013

historical examples

the taking of mekka was soon followed by the adhesion of all arabia.
selections from the kur-an edward william lane

the proclamation then goes on to declare arabia’s independence.
the new world of islam lothrop stoddard

prior to this, arabia as he found it was narrow to an extreme.
islam her moral and spiritual value arthur glyn leonard

all the perfumes of arabia will not sweeten this little hand.
familiar quotations john bartlett

the arabs are great coffee-drinkers, and it is from arabia that the finest mocha comes.
our little arabian cousin blanche mcm-n-s

noun
a great peninsula of sw asia, between the red sea and the persian gulf: consists chiefly of a desert plateau, with mountains rising over 3000 m (10 000 ft) in the west and scattered oases; includes the present-day countries of saudi arabia, yemen, oman, bahrain, qatar, kuwait, and the united arab emirates. area: about 2 600 000 sq km (1 000 000 sq miles)

1711; see arab + -ia. the older name for “the country of arabia” was araby (late 13c.).

peninsula in southwest asia, bordered on the north by jordan and iraq, on the east by the persian gulf and the gulf of oman, on the south by the gulf of aden, and on the west by the red sea. this historical region in the middle east consists of bahrain, kuwait, oman, qatar, saudi arabia, the united arab emirates, and yemen.

note: strategically important because it is situated at the crossroads of europe, asia, and africa, arabia has been coveted and controlled by many empires throughout history. the area’s importance is all the greater today because of its fabulous oil reserves. the united states and the soviet union both competed for influence in arabia after the british presence ended in the late 1960s. arabian states joined the coalition against iraq’s invasion of kuwait in 1990. (see also persian gulf war.)

arid, an extensive region in the south-west of asia. it is bounded on the west by the isthmus of suez and the red sea, on the south by the indian ocean, and on the east by the persian gulf and the euphrates. it extends far into the north in barren deserts, meeting those of syria and mesopotamia. it is one of the few countries of the world from which the original inhabitants have never been expelled. it was anciently divided into three parts:, (1.) arabia felix (happy arabia), so called from its fertility. it embraced a large portion of the country now known by the name of arabia. the arabs call it yemen. it lies between the red sea and the persian gulf. (2.) arabia deserta, the el-badieh or “great wilderness” of the arabs. from this name is derived that which is usually given to the nomadic tribes which wander over this region, the “bedaween,” or, more generally, “bedouin,” (3.) arabia petraea, i.e., the rocky arabia, so called from its rocky mountains and stony plains. it comprehended all the north-west portion of the country, and is much better known to travellers than any other portion. this country is, however, divided by modern geographers into (1) arabia proper, or the arabian peninsula; (2) northern arabia, or the arabian desert; and (3) western arabia, which includes the peninsula of sinai and the desert of petra, originally inhabited by the horites (gen. 14:6, etc.), but in later times by the descendants of esau, and known as the land of edom or idumea, also as the desert of seir or mount seir. the whole land appears (gen. 10) to have been inhabited by a variety of tribes of different lineage, ishmaelites, arabians, idumeans, horites, and edomites; but at length becoming amalgamated, they came to be known by the general designation of arabs. the modern nation of arabs is predominantly ishmaelite. their language is the most developed and the richest of all the semitic languages, and is of great value to the student of hebrew. the israelites wandered for forty years in arabia. in the days of solomon, and subsequently, commercial intercourse was to a considerable extent kept up with this country (1 kings 10:15; 2 chr. 9:14; 17:11). arabians were present in jerusalem at pentecost (acts 2:11). paul retired for a season into arabia after his conversion (gal. 1:17). this country is frequently referred to by the prophets (isa. 21:11; 42:11; jer. 25:24, etc.)

Read Also:

  • Arabia deserta

    an ancient division of arabia, in the n part between syria and mesopotamia. historical examples the old ishmaelites used to dwell in arabia deserta—a land scorched by burning sands, with scant vegetation and brackish water. a thousand years of jewish history maurice h. (maurice henry) harris arabia deserta—the desert between palestine and the euphrates. a […]

  • Arabia felix

    an ancient division of arabia, in the s part: sometimes restricted to yemen. historical examples never had any words been so vivid and so beautiful—arabia felix—aethiopia. the voyage out virginia woolf tethered in the desert for fear that she would get into arabia felix! cape cod henry d. th-r-au other profound mythologists -ssure us that […]

  • Arabia petraea

    an ancient division of arabia, in the nw part. historical examples arabia petraea (stony)—the end adjoining the peninsula of sinai. a thousand years of jewish history maurice h. (maurice henry) harris arabia is mine, arabia petraea to boot; and the universe, and you too, if i choose. the magic skin honore de balzac

  • Arabian camel

    the dromedary. historical examples it is much slower than the arabian camel, seldom going at more than two and a half miles per hour. bible animals; j. g. wood noun a domesticated camel, camelus dromedarius, having one hump on its back and used as a beast of burden in the hot deserts of n africa […]

  • Arabian coffee

    . a tree, coffea arabica, of the madder family, the princ-p-l species of coffee cultivated in latin america and the chief coffee tree of commerce. the seeds of this tree. the beverage made from the ground seeds. historical examples robusta coffee is by some authorities regarded as inferior in quality to arabian coffee. the philippine […]


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