The Asir Mountains[1] (Arabic: جِبَال عَسِيْر, jibāl ʿasīr; Arabic pronunciation:[d͡ʒɪbaːlʕasiːr] ('Difficult')) is a mountainous region in southwestern Saudi Arabia running parallel to the Red Sea. It comprises areas in the Region of 'Asir, but generally, it also includes areas near the border with Yemen. The mountains cover approximately 100,000 square kilometres (40,000 sq mi) and consists of mountains, plains, and valleys of the Arabian highlands.[2]Sensu lato, they are part of the Sarawat Mountains,[3] defining the latter as the mountain range which runs parallel to the Tihamah throughout the western portion of the Arabian Peninsula, particularly the western parts of Saudi Arabia and Yemen.[4][5][6]
The region has the highest average rainfall of Saudi Arabia[citation needed] due to largely seasonal rain. Average rainfall can range from 600 millimetres (24 in) to over 1,000 millimetres (39 in) per year, in wet regions. The eastern plains and plateaus receive much lower amounts, from 500 millimetres (20 in) to below 100 millimetres (3.9 in) per year.[2]
The region's difficult terrain has helped preserve the region's unique biodiversity. Several new Myxomycetes fungi species have been discovered in the region, as have a variety of previously undiscovered plants.[7] Asir is also thought to be one of the last natural habitats of the Arabian leopard.[2][5][6] and also the Asir magpie, believed to be down to its last 135 pairs.[8]
^ abcd"Southwestern Arabian montane woodlands". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
^Overstreet, William Courtney (1977). Tertiary laterite of the As Sarat Mountains, Asir Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Vol. 2. Directorate General of Mineral Resources. pp. iii–2.
^ abJudas, J.; Paillat, P.; Khoja, A.; Boug, A. (2006). "Status of the Arabian leopard in Saudi Arabia" (PDF). Cat News. Special Issue 1: 11–19.
^ abSpalton, J. A. & Al-Hikmani, H. M. (2006). "The Leopard in the Arabian Peninsula – Distribution and Subspecies Status" (PDF). Cat News (Special Issue 1): 4–8.
^Boulos, L. (1985), , A contribution of the flora of the Asir Mountains, Saudi Arabia, vol. 3, Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research, pp. 67–94, archived from the original on February 29, 2012
asir, mountains, other, uses, asir, disambiguation, arabic, ال, jibāl, ʿasīr, arabic, pronunciation, ʒɪbaːl, ʕasiːr, difficult, mountainous, region, southwestern, saudi, arabia, running, parallel, comprises, areas, region, asir, generally, also, includes, area. For other uses see Asir disambiguation The Asir Mountains 1 Arabic ج ب ال ع س ي ر jibal ʿasir Arabic pronunciation d ʒɪbaːl ʕasiːr Difficult is a mountainous region in southwestern Saudi Arabia running parallel to the Red Sea It comprises areas in the Region of Asir but generally it also includes areas near the border with Yemen The mountains cover approximately 100 000 square kilometres 40 000 sq mi and consists of mountains plains and valleys of the Arabian highlands 2 Sensu lato they are part of the Sarawat Mountains 3 defining the latter as the mountain range which runs parallel to the Tihamah throughout the western portion of the Arabian Peninsula particularly the western parts of Saudi Arabia and Yemen 4 5 6 Asir MountainsA rocky mountain in the rangeNamingNative nameج ب ال ع س ي ر Arabic GeographyLocation in Saudi ArabiaShow map of Saudi ArabiaAsir Mountains Middle East Show map of Middle EastAsir Mountains West and Central Asia Show map of West and Central AsiaCountry Saudi ArabiaRegionArabian PeninsulaRange coordinates21 36 N 39 48 E 21 6 N 39 8 E 21 6 39 8 Contents 1 Geology 2 Climate and agriculture 3 Biodiversity 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References 7 Further readingGeology editSee also Geology of Saudi Arabia The mountains consist primarily of sedimentary rock limestone sandstone and shale of Jurassic Cretaceous and Paleogene origin on a Precambrian granitic basement 2 Climate and agriculture editThe region has the highest average rainfall of Saudi Arabia citation needed due to largely seasonal rain Average rainfall can range from 600 millimetres 24 in to over 1 000 millimetres 39 in per year in wet regions The eastern plains and plateaus receive much lower amounts from 500 millimetres 20 in to below 100 millimetres 3 9 in per year 2 The region s crops most of which are cultivated on steeply terraced mountainsides include wheat coffee cotton indigo ginger vegetables and palms The region also supports cattle sheep goats and camels citation needed Biodiversity editSee also Hamadryas baboon and Wildlife of Saudi Arabia The region s difficult terrain has helped preserve the region s unique biodiversity Several new Myxomycetes fungi species have been discovered in the region as have a variety of previously undiscovered plants 7 Asir is also thought to be one of the last natural habitats of the Arabian leopard 2 5 6 and also the Asir magpie believed to be down to its last 135 pairs 8 Gallery edit nbsp Jabal Sawdah Mount Sawdah nbsp Abha City located 2 270 m 7 450 ft above sea level in the Asir Region nbsp Habalah Valley near Abha nbsp Al Soudah nbsp Jabal Atherb as seen from Ḥawalah in BareqSee also edit nbsp Saudi Arabia portalGeography of Saudi Arabia List of mountains in Saudi Arabia Wildlife of YemenReferences edit Library of Congress Country Study Saudi Arabia The Library of Congress archived from the original on 2008 09 23 a b c d Southwestern Arabian montane woodlands Terrestrial Ecoregions World Wildlife Fund Overstreet William Courtney 1977 Tertiary laterite of the As Sarat Mountains Asir Province Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Vol 2 Directorate General of Mineral Resources pp iii 2 Nasr Seyyed Hossein 2013 1 The Holiest Cities of Islam Mecca the Blessed Medina the Radiant The Holiest Cities of Islam Tuttle Publishing ISBN 978 1 4629 1365 7 a b Judas J Paillat P Khoja A Boug A 2006 Status of the Arabian leopard in Saudi Arabia PDF Cat News Special Issue 1 11 19 a b Spalton J A amp Al Hikmani H M 2006 The Leopard in the Arabian Peninsula Distribution and Subspecies Status PDF Cat News Special Issue 1 4 8 Boulos L 1985 Myxomycetes from the Asir Mountains Saudi Arabia abstract A contribution of the flora of the Asir Mountains Saudi Arabia vol 3 Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research pp 67 94 archived from the original on February 29 2012 Protecting the Asir Magpie Further reading editA Journey Through the Tihama the Asir and the Hijaz Mountains by Wilfred Thesiger Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Asir Mountains amp oldid 1147005981, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
