Musandam Peninsula

The Musandam Peninsula (Arabic: جَزِيْرَة مُسَنْدَم \ رَأْس مُسَنْدَم, romanized: Jazīrat Musandam / Raʾs Musandam), locally known as Ruus Al Jibal (Arabic: رُؤُوْس ٱلْجِبَال, romanized: Ruʾūs al-Jibāl Capes of the Mountains),^[3] is a peninsula that forms the northeastern point of the Arabian Peninsula.

Musandam Peninsula[1][2] جَزِيْرَة مُسَنْدَم رَأْس مُسَنْدَم
The peninsula as seen from space. Al-Khasab to the north (top) shown in green, is contrasted between the more subtle rainbow tones of the surrounding rock in this false-colour image. The term Khasab refers to the fertility of the soil.
Coordinates: 25°54′N 56°12′E
Governorates of Oman and Emirates of the United Arab Emirates	Musandam Governorate (Oman) Ras Al Khaimah (UAE)

Geography

See also: Geology of Oman, Geology of the United Arab Emirates, Geography of Oman, and Geography of the United Arab Emirates

The peninsula lies to the south of the Strait of Hormuz, between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.^[4] It is inhabited by the Shihuh tribe and is mainly governed by Oman as the Musandam Governorate with certain parts governed by the United Arab Emirates, including Ras Al Khaimah and parts of Dibba.^[1][2]

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 (Arabic: رُؤُوْس ٱلْجِبَال, romanized: Capes of the Mountains).^[1][2] The largest wadi in Mussandam is Wadi Bih, which forms the central drainage basin.^[5][6] The highest Mountain in Mussandam, and Ru'us al Jibal, is Jebel Harim.

Climate

See also: Climate of Oman and Climate of the United Arab Emirates

During winter, the region can be fairly cool, particularly the mountains of Jais, Yanas and Mebrah.^[7][8]

Environment

See also: Wildlife of Oman and Wildlife of the United Arab Emirates

Fauna include the Ruus al Jibal fan-footed gecko,^[9] Arabian tahr and caracal. It is unknown if the Arabian leopard is still present.^[1][2]

Important Bird Areas

The mountainous northern end of the peninsula has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports significant populations of bird species, whether resident, breeding, wintering or on passage. These include pallid scops-owl, plain leaf-warbler, hooded, variable, Hume's and red-tailed wheatears, and pale rockfinch.^[10]

The islands scattered around the tip of the peninsula are in a separate IBA because of their importance for seabirds, including red-billed tropicbird, Persian shearwater, Socotra cormorant and bridled tern.^[11]

History

In the past, the region was an unstable region, and was repeatedly invaded by Persian empires such as the Achaemenid Empire and the Sassanian Empire. Then these empires declined until the Islamic era arrived.

Modern Era

In the modern era, the occupation of the region continued. In the beginning, the Portuguese invasion arrived, which destroyed the region after it was a global navigation center at that time. Then a new force appeared, the Ya'rubids state, and expelled the Portuguese invasion of the Gulf and occupied the peninsula region. Then came British colonialism. After the withdrawal of British colonialism, the UAE was formed, but Ras Al Khaimah did not join the UAE at that time. In 1972 AD, the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah joined the United Arab Emirates. Then the Emirati-Omani border has been officially settled.

Gallery

• 
  View of Jebal Harim from the Green Valley, March 2013
• 
  View of the mountains of Musandam, December 1971
• 
  View of the Ru'us al-Jibal from Jebel Qihwi
• 
  The mountainous area of Kumzar, c. 1908
• 
  Sedimentary rock layers near Khasab in Musandam Governorate, Oman
• 
  Jabal ar Raḩraḩ (1,676 m), the UAE's highest mountain, near Ras Al Khaimah
• 
  African monarch butterfly (Danaus chrysippus) in Zhighy Bay, Musandam Governorate
• 
  Blue basker dragonfly (Urothemis edwardsii)
• 
  Rock semaphore gecko (Pristurus rupestris)