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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

one bystander said he was told to tell the media that they were from al qaeda in yemen, or al qaeda in the arabian peninsula.
france mourns—and hunts nico hines, christopher d-ckey january 7, 2015

in yemen, al qaeda in the arabian peninsula has filled the void created by a decrepit justice system.
how u.s. strikes on syria help al qaeda barak barfi august 27, 2013

but there is no “made in america” answer to al qaeda in the arabian peninsula.
obama’s challenge in yemen bruce riedel january 2, 2010

as the arabian peninsula flourished, the area became the center of cultural development.
when saudi arabia ruled the world emily wilson october 30, 2014

al qaeda in the arabian peninsula did not create this perfect storm and it is too small and weak to take over sanaa.
al qaeda’s latest foothold bruce riedel march 21, 2011

several saudi and yemeni al qaeda leaders announced the creation of the new al qaeda in the arabian peninsula early this year.
al qaeda’s new murder plot bruce riedel august 27, 2009

these two challenges were always higher priorities for saleh than al qaeda in the arabian peninsula.
al qaeda’s latest foothold bruce riedel march 21, 2011

the saudi family has been a major player in the politics of the arabian peninsula since the early 18th century.
why the saudi royals are scared bruce riedel march 7, 2011

historical examples

in the deserts, and among the vast plains of the arabian peninsula, a race had slumbered inactive for twenty centuries.
christianity and modern thought various

the arabian peninsula is not a part of it, but its climate and general character are similar.
commercial geography jacques w. redway

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.)