There are few places on Earth where extremes meet as vividly as they do in Dubai. By day, glass towers pierce a cloudless sky; a short drive away, ancient dunes roll toward the horizon in soft, wind-sculpted waves. Quad Biking Near Me Dubai A Private Quad Bike Safari in Dubai sits right on that seam where precision and spectacle collide with silence and space. It is an experience that feels both meticulously curated and unshakably raw, a rare chance to loosen the grip of schedules and city sound and follow your own tracks into the desert.
The journey begins with a shift in palette: chrome to copper, concrete to sand. As the skyline recedes in the rearview mirror, the landscape opens and the air takes on that clean, arid clarity unique to the Arabian Peninsula. In a private setup, arrival is unhurried. There is time to lace up shoes, adjust goggles, and settle into the unfamiliar weight of a helmet without a line of strangers at your back. A guide-someone who reads dunes the way a sailor reads swells-introduces the machines and the terrain. The briefing is concise, the tone calm. Out here, respect for the desert matters as much as mechanical know-how.
Then comes ignition, a rumble near the knees, and the elemental thrill of moving under your own control across a surface that looks soft but demands finesse. The first minutes are tentative-how much throttle, how firm a grip, how to trust the tire bite on the sand. Soon, rhythm replaces calculation. Things To Do Dubai Quad Biking You begin to sense the dunes not as obstacles but as notes in a score: the gradual climb, the brief, weightless crest, the controlled descent. The wind lifts warm against your jacket, the sun streaks the visor, and a salt-flat clarity settles in the mind. It is not speed for speed's sake; it is the rare pleasure of focus, of inhabiting your body and the moment completely.
The privacy transforms everything. Without a crowd, the pace and route can flex to fit your mood and experience. Want to pause for a photograph when the dunes glow like embers near sunset? You can. Quad Biking Dubai Stag Party Prefer a gentler line to learn the feel, or a more assertive one once confidence builds? The guide adjusts without fuss. Families find comfort in that adaptability; seasoned riders appreciate the chance to stretch without waiting for a convoy. Couples discover, in the hush between engine bursts, how quiet the desert really is-how a vast landscape can make two people feel not small, exactly, but exquisitely singular.
The desert is never empty if you know how to look. Falcon prints make calligraphy near the slipfaces. A beetle leaves a delicate stitch in the sand. Fossil Rock Quad Biking . In the right reserve, you might see a cream-colored oryx in the middle distance, its horns like uprights in a shifting sea.
Night Quad Biking Dubai
Experienced Quad Bike Instructors Dubai
Quad Biking Dubai Safety Gear
Yamaha Quad Bike Dubai
These details invite a slower mode-a few minutes standing on a ridge, engines off, the silence pooled so deeply that even a whisper seems immodest. Many private safaris build in this space intentionally: a shaded stop with Arabic coffee and dates, a chance to talk about the Bedouin routes that once laced through these very dunes, or to consider how the desert, so seemingly fragile, has shaped lives for centuries.
Timing is part of the magic. Dawn rides carry a coolness and a sense of first light that makes tracks feel like signatures on a blank page. Late afternoons paint the dunes in layered golds and plums, giving every photograph an almost cinematic richness. After dark, if your itinerary allows, stars arrive by the hundred-sharp, near, unmuted by the city's glow. Some operators pair the ride with quiet add-ons: a short camel walk that slows the cadence to ancient time, or a campfire meal where a drumbeat threads through conversation and the dust settles in the best possible way.
Practicalities matter in the desert, and they're simple. Dress for sun and sand: breathable layers, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, and plenty of water. Listen to your guide-they understand dunes that can change character in a single gust. If you're traveling with children, check age and height requirements in advance; if you're new to riding, say so, and the route will be shaped accordingly. The best private experiences tend to belong to operators who balance thrill with stewardship, keeping to designated zones, minimizing impact, and treating the desert as a living place rather than a blank canvas.
In the end, what sets a Private Quad Bike Safari in Dubai apart is not just the adrenaline. It's the paradox it holds so easily: the raw joy of machinery and motion framed by an environment that quiets you from the inside out. You return to the city with the day still on your skin-the fine grit at your cuffs, the faint scent of fuel mixing with sand, a line of sun along your forearms-and with something more elusive, too. The memory of crossing a fluid landscape under your own hand. Of sharing a horizon with someone you chose, on your terms, with nothing to distract you but the curve of a dune and the color of the sky.
And maybe that is the real luxury here. Not the private transport or the tailored itinerary-though those things help-but the permission to be fully present. To trade skyscraper edges for wind-lifted sand, hurry for attention, spectacle for scale. For a few hours, you are a moving dot in a sea of ancient light. Then you're back among the towers again, carrying a small, steady silence you can summon whenever you need it.
About Can-Am
Sports car racing series from 1966 to 1987
This article is about the motorsport cup. For the baseball league, see Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball. For manufacturer of ATVs, see Can-Am motorcycles. For other uses, see Can-Am (disambiguation).
Can-Am
The logo of the Can-Am Challenge Cup
Category
Sports car racing
Country
United States, Canada
Folded
1987
The Canadian-American Challenge Cup, or Can-Am, was an SCCA/CASC sports car racing series from 1966 to 1974, and again from 1977 to 1987.
The Can-Am rules were deliberately simple and placed few limits on the entries. This led to a wide variety of unique car body designs and powerful engine installations. Notable among these were Jim Hall's Chaparrals and entries with over 1,000 horsepower.
History
[edit]
The Can-Am race at Edmonton International Speedway in 1973
Can-Am started out as a race series for Group 7 sports racers with two races in Canada (Can) and four races in the United States of America (Am). The series was initially sponsored by Johnson Wax. The series was governed by rules called out under the FIA Group 7 category with unrestricted engine capacity and few other technical restrictions.
The Group 7 category was essentially a Formula Libre for sports cars; the regulations were minimal and permitted unlimited engine sizes (and allowed turbocharging and supercharging), virtually unrestricted aerodynamics, and were as close as any major international racing series ever got to have an "anything goes" policy. As long as the car had two seats, bodywork enclosing the wheels, and met basic safety standards, it was allowed. Group 7 had arisen as a category for non-homologated sports car "specials" in Europe and, for a while in the 1960s, Group 7 racing was popular in the United Kingdom as well as a class in hillclimb racing in Europe. Group 7 cars were designed more for short-distance sprints than for endurance racing. Some Group 7 cars were also built in Japan by Nissan and Toyota, but these did not compete outside their homeland (though some of the Can-Am competitors occasionally went over to race against them).
SCCA sports car racing was becoming more popular with European constructors and drivers, and the United States Road Racing Championship for large-capacity sports racers eventually gave rise to the Group 7 Can-Am series. There was good prize and appearance money and plenty of trade backing; the series was lucrative for its competitors but resulted, by its end, in truly outrageous cars with well over 1,000 horsepower (750 kW) (the Porsche team claimed 1,500 hp (1,100 kW) for its 917/30 in qualifying trim[1]), wings, active downforce generation, very light weight and unheard of speeds. Similar Group 7 cars ran in the European Interserie series from 1970 on, but this was much lower-key than the Can-Am.
On-track, the series was initially dominated by Lola, followed by a period in which it became known as the "Bruce and Denny show", the works McLaren team dominated for five consecutive seasons (1967-1971) until the Porsche 917 was perfected and became almost unbeatable in 1972 and 1973. After Porsche's withdrawal, Shadow dominated the last season before Can-Am faded away to be replaced by Formula 5000. Racing was rarely close—one marque was usually dominant—but the noise and spectacle of the cars made the series highly popular.
The energy crisis and the increased cost of competing in Can-Am meant that the series folded after the relatively lackluster 1974 season; the single-seater Formula 5000 series became the leading road-racing series in North America and many of the Can-Am drivers and teams continued to race there. F5000's reign lasted for only two years, with a second generation of Can-Am following. This was a fundamentally different series based initially on converted F5000 cars with closed-wheel bodies. There was also a two-liter class based on Formula Two chassis. The second iteration of Can-Am faded away as IMSA and CART racing became more popular in the early 1980s but remained active until 1987.
Can-Am remains a well-remembered form of racing due to its popularity in the 1960s and early 1970s, the limited number of regulations allowing extremely fast and innovative cars and the lineup of talented drivers. Can-Am cars remain popular in historic racing today.
Notable drivers
[edit]
Notable drivers in the original Can-Am series included virtually every acclaimed driver of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Jim Hall, Mark Donohue, Mario Andretti, Parnelli Jones, George Follmer, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Denny Hulme, Jacky Ickx, Bruce McLaren, Jackie Oliver, Peter Revson, John Surtees, and Charlie Kemp all drove Can-Am cars competitively and were successful, winning races and championship titles. Al Holbert, Alan Jones and Al Unser Jr. are among the drivers who launched their careers in the revived Can-Am series.
Pioneering technology
[edit]
Can-Am was the birthplace and proving ground for what, at the time, was cutting-edge technology. Can-Am cars were among the first race cars to use sport wings, effective turbocharging, ground-effect aerodynamics, and aerospace materials like titanium. This led to the eventual downfall of the original series when costs got prohibitive. However during its height, Can-Am cars were at the forefront of racing technology and were frequently as fast as or even faster around laps of certain circuits than the contemporary Formula One cars. Noted constructors in the Can-Am series include McLaren, Chaparral, Lola, BRM, Shadow and Porsche.
Manufacturers
[edit]
McLaren
[edit]
A McLaren M1A, one of the early Can-Am competitors that was equally at home in other sportscar series.McLaren Can Am Chassis restored by Racefab Inc. for vintage racing
McLaren cars were specially designed race cars. The Can-Am cars were developments of the sports cars which were introduced in 1964 for the North American sports car races. The team works car for 1964 was the M1. For 1965 the M1A prototype was the team car and bases for the Elva customer M1A cars. In late 1965 the M1b(mk2) was the factory car in 1966 with Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon as drivers. In 1967, specifically for the Can-Am series, the McLaren team introduced a new model, the M6A. The McLaren M6A also introduced what was to become the trademark orange color for the team. The McLaren team was considered very "multinational" for the times and consisted of team owner and leader Bruce McLaren, fellow New Zealander Chris Amon and another "kiwi", the 1967 Formula One world champion, Denny Hulme, team manager Teddy Mayer, mechanics Tyler Alexander, Gary Knutson, Lee Muir, George Bolthoff, Frank Zimmerman, Tom Anderson, Alan Anderson, David Dunlap, Leo Beattie, Donny Ray Everett, and Haig Alltounian (all from the US), Don Beresford, Alec Greaves, Vince Higgins, and Roger Bailey (UK), Tony Attard (Australia), Cary Taylor, Jimmy Stone, Chris Charles, Colin Beanland, Alan McCall, and Alistair Caldwell (NZ). The M6 series used a full aluminum monocoque design with no uncommon features but, for the times, there was an uncommon attention to detail in preparation by the team members. The M6 series of cars were powered by Chevy "mouse-motor" small-block V8s built by Al Bartz Engines in Van Nuys, California. They were models of reliability. This was followed in 1968 by the M8A, a new design based around the Chevy big-block V8 "rat motor" as a stressed member of the chassis. McLaren went "in house" with their engine shop in 1969. The M8B, M8C, M8D and M20C were developments of that aluminum monocoque chassis. McLaren so dominated the 1967-1971 seasons that Can-Am was often called the "Bruce and Denny show" after the drivers who very often finished first and second. There was even a one-two-three finish at the Michigan International Speedway on September 28, 1969: McLaren first, Hulme second, and Gurney third. Nine months later, Bruce McLaren lost his life, on June 2, 1970, at Goodwood when the rear bodywork of his prototype M8D detached during testing resulting in a completely uncontrollable car and a fatal high-speed crash. Team McLaren continued to succeed in Can-Am after Bruce's death with a number of other drivers, but the works Porsche effort with a turbocharged flat-12 engines and a high development budget meant that they could not keep up with the 917. Although private McLarens continued in the series, the works team withdrew to concentrate on Formula One (and USAC, for several years). Team McLaren went on to become a several time F1 champion and is still a part of that series.
Porsche
[edit]
The Porsche 917/30 carried Mark Donohue to the 1973 championship.
The Porsche 908 spyder was used in Can-Am, but was underpowered (350 hp) and mainly used by underfunded teams. It did win the 1970 Road Atlanta race, when the more powerful cars fell out. The 917PA, a spyder version of the 917K Le Mans car, was raced, but its normally aspirated flat-12 was underpowered (530 hp). In 1971 the 917/10 was introduced. This was not turbocharged, but was lighter and had cleaner body work, and Jo Siffert managed to finish fourth in the championship.
For 1972 the 917/10K with a turbocharged 900 horsepower five-litre flat-12 was introduced. Prepared by Roger Penske and driven by Mark Donohue and George Follmer these cars won six of the nine races. In 1972 Porsche introduced an even more powerful car, the 917/30KL. Nicknamed the "Turbopanzer" this car was seen as a monster. With 1,100 or 1,580 horsepower (820/1161 kW in race or qualifying trim)[citation needed] available from its 5.4 litre flat-12 and weighing 1,800 lb (816 kg) with better downforce this car won six of eight races in the 1973 championship.[2] Porsche's dominance was such that engine rules were changed to try to reduce the lack of competition for one marque by enforcing a fuel-consumption rule for 1974. This kind of alteration of rules to promote equality is not unknown in other forms of American motorsport. The category that the car had been created for and competed in was discontinued and in 1975 Donohue drove this car to a closed-course world-speed record of 221 mph (average)(356 km/h) at the Talladega Superspeedway (then called the "Alabama International Motor Speedway"). It was capable of 240 mph (386 km/h) on the straights.[3]
Chaparral
[edit]
Chaparral's infamous 2J "Sucker Car" was banned from Can-Am after 1970, due to its unique downforce-producing fans.
Jim Hall's Chaparrals were very innovative, following his success in the United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC). The 2 series Chaparrals (built and engineered with a high degree of covert support from Chevrolet's research and development division) were leaders in the application of aerodynamics to race cars culminating with the introduction of the 2E in 1966, the first of the high wing race cars. The 2E was a defining design, and the 2G was a development of that basic design. The FIA banned movable aerodynamic devices and Chaparral responded with the 2H 1969. The 2H broke new ground, seeking to reduce drag but did not achieve much success. The 2J that followed was perhaps the ultimate example of what Group 7 rules could allow in a racing car. It was a twin-engined car, with the by-then usual big-block Chevrolet engine providing the driving force, and a tiny snowmobile engine powering a pair of fans at the back of the car. These fans, combined with the movable Lexan "skirts" around the bottom of the car created a vacuum underneath the car, effectively providing the same level of downforce as the huge wings of previous vehicles, without the drag. Although far too mechanically complex to survive in racing environments, the theory was sound, and would appear in Formula One a few years later in the BT46B "Fan Car" of 1978.
Lola
[edit]
The Lola T70, T160-165, T220, T260, and T310 were campaigned by the factory and various customers, and were primarily Chevy powered. The Lola T70 driven by John Surtees won the first Can-Am championship in 1966. Lola continued to experiment with new designs versus McLaren which refined the design each year. The 1971 Lola T260 had some success with Jackie Stewart taking two victories. In 1972 a radical new design, the Lola T310, made its appearance. The T310 was the longest and widest Can-Am car of the era versus the short stubby T260. The T310 was delivered late and suffered handling problems the entire year with its best finish a fourth at Watkins Glen.
Others
[edit]
1974s Shadow DN4A
While McLaren and Porsche dominated the series for most of its existence, other vehicles also appeared. Well-established European manufacturers like Lotus, CRD, in the form of their Merlyn Mk8 Chevrolet, Ferrari and BRM, appeared at various times with limited success, while March tried to get a share of the lucrative market in 1970–71, but could not establish themselves. Ford also flitted across the scene with a number of unsuccessful cars based on the GT40 and its successors. American specialist marques like McKee, Genie and Caldwell competed, alongside exotica like the astonishing four-engined Macs-It special.
British-born mechanic and engineer Peter Bryant designed the Ti22 (occasionally known as the Autocoast after one of the team's major backers) as an American-built challenger to the British McLarens and Lolas. The car made extensive use of titanium in its chassis and suspension, and Bryant experimented with aerodynamics and with early use of carbon-fibre to reduce weight. Although the car was quick it did not achieve consistent success; problems with the team's funding saw Bryant move on to Don Nichols' UOP-sponsored Shadow team. The Shadow marque had made its debut with an astonishing car with tiny wheels and radiators mounted on top of the rear wing designed by Trevor Harris; this was unsuccessful, and more conventional cars designed by Bryant replaced them; Bryant was sidelined when Shadow moved into Formula One but after his departure, turbocharged Shadows came to dominate as Porsche and McLaren faded from the scene.
Decline and revivals
[edit]
Al Holbert driving a VDS-001 in the revived Can-Am in 1982.
The last year for the original Can-Am championship was 1974. Spiraling costs, a recession in North America following the oil crisis, and dwindling support and interest led to the series being canceled and the last scheduled race of the 1974 season not being run.[4]
The Can-Am name still held enough drawing power to lead SCCA to introduce a revised Can-Am series in 1977 based on a closed-wheel version of the rules of the recently canceled Formula A/5000 series. This grew steadily in status, particularly during the USAC/CART wars of the late 70s and early 80s, and attracted some top road-racing teams and drivers and a range of vehicles including specials based on rebodied single seaters (particularly Lola F5000s) and also bespoke cars from constructors like March as well as smaller manufacturers. To broaden the appeal of the series a 2L class was introduced for the last several years—cars often being derived from F2/Formula Atlantic. The series peaked in the early 80s but as the CART Indycar series and IMSA's GTP championship grew in stature it faded. In 1987 the series changed as Indycars started to become a source of cars. The SCCA took away the Can-Am name but the series continued as the Can-Am Teams Thunder Cars Championship. After a single year the teams took the sports bodies off and evolved into American Indycar Series.
In 1991, after 18 months of development, a Shelby Can-Am series was created using a production line of Sports bodied cars designed by Carroll Shelby powered by a 3.3 litre Dodge V6. The series ran for five years before it was dropped by the SCCA. A large number of cars were relocated to South Africa and ran from 2000 onwards.
The name was once again revived in 1998, when the United States Road Racing Championship broke away from IMSA. Their top prototype class was named Can-Am, but the series would fold before the end of 1999 before being replaced by the Grand American Road Racing Championship. The Can-Am name would not be retained in the new series.
Circuits
[edit]
Main article: List of Can-Am Challenge Cup circuits
Champions
[edit]
Year
Driver
Team
Car
1966
John Surtees
Team Surtees
Lola T70-Chevrolet
1967
Bruce McLaren
Bruce McLaren Motor Racing
McLaren M6A-Chevrolet
1968
Denny Hulme
Bruce McLaren Motor Racing
McLaren M8A-Chevrolet
1969
Bruce McLaren
Bruce McLaren Motor Racing
McLaren M8B-Chevrolet
1970
Denny Hulme
Bruce McLaren Motor Racing
McLaren M8D-Chevrolet
1971
Peter Revson
Bruce McLaren Motor Racing
McLaren M8F-Chevrolet
1972
George Follmer
Penske Racing
Porsche 917/10
1973
Mark Donohue
Penske Racing
Porsche 917/30 TC
1974
Jackie Oliver
Shadow Racing Cars
Shadow DN4A-Chevrolet
1975–1976
No series
1977
Patrick Tambay
Haas-Hall Racing
Lola T333CS-Chevrolet
1978
Alan Jones
Haas-Hall Racing
Lola T333CS-Chevrolet
1979
Jacky Ickx
Carl Haas Racing
Lola T333CS-Chevrolet
1980
Patrick Tambay
Carl Haas Racing
Lola T530-Chevrolet
1981
Geoff Brabham
Team VDS
Lola T530-Chevrolet / VDS 001-Chevrolet
1982
Al Unser Jr.
Galles Racing
Frissbee GR3-Chevrolet
1983
Jacques Villeneuve Sr.
Canadian Tire
Frissbee GR3-Chevrolet
1984
Michael Roe
Norwood/Walker
VDS 002-Chevrolet / VDS 004-Chevrolet
1985
Rick Miaskiewicz
Mosquito Autosport
Frissbee GR3-Chevrolet
1986
Horst Kroll
Kroll Racing
Frissbee KR3-Chevrolet
1987
Bill Tempero
Texas American Racing Team
March 85C-Chevrolet
Under 2 Litre class champions
[edit]
Year
Driver
Team
Car
1979
Tim Evans
Diversified Engineering Services
Lola T290-Ford
1980
Gary Gove
Pete Lovely VW
Ralt RT2-Hart
1981
Jim Trueman
TrueSports
Ralt RT2-Hart
1982
Bertil Roos
Elite Racing
Marquey CA82-Hart
1983
Bertil Roos
Roos Racing School
Scandia B3-Hart
1984
Kim Campbell
Tom Mitchell Racing
March 832-BMW
1985
Lou Sell
Sell Racing
March 832-BMW
References
[edit]
^
Nevison, Robert (director) (2008). CAN-AM: The Speed Odyssey (documentary).
^http://www.wspr-racing.com/wspr/results/canam/canam1973.html 1973 Can Am results
^"Donohue Hits 221 for Closed Course Record". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. AP. August 10, 1975. p. 1B. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
^Lyons, Pete (1995). Can-Am. Osceola, Wisconsin: Motorbooks International. p. 240. ISBN 0-7603-0017-8.
Bibliography
[edit]
Can-Am, Pete Lyons, Motorbooks International
Can-Am Races 1966–1969, Brooklands Books
Can-Am Races 1970–1974, Brooklands Books
Can-Am Racing Cars 1966–1974, Brooklands Books
Can-Am Challenger, Peter Bryant, David Bull
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Can-Am (autosport).
CanAm History site Archived 2005-08-31 at the Wayback Machine
Can-Am History, by Michael Stucker
Bruce McLaren Trust Official site
Can-Am Results 1966-1986
CanamCircus by Stéphane Lebiez
Historic Can Am
The History of the Canadian - American Challenge Cup
v
t
e
Circuits of the Can-Am Challenge Cup (1966–1987)
Canada
Edmonton
Mont-Tremblant
Mosport
Sanair
Trois-Rivières
United States
Brainerd
Bridgehampton
Caesars Palace
Charlotte
Dallas
Gateway
Green Valley
Hallett
Laguna Seca
Lime Rock
Michigan
Mid-Ohio
Milwaukee
Phoenix
Pueblo
Riverside
Road America
Road Atlanta
Sears Point
Stardust
St. Petersburg
Summit Point
Texas World
Watkins Glen
Willow Springs
v
t
e
Classes of auto racing
Formula
racing
Active
F1
F2
F3
F4
F600
Formula 1000
Formula Atlantic
Formula Car Challenge
Formula Continental
Formula E
Formula Enterprises
Formula Ford
FF1600
Formula Regional
GB3
Formula Vee
IndyCar
Super Formula
Supermodified
BOSS GP
Monoposto Racing Club
V de V Challenge Monoplace
Defunct
F3000
F5000
Formula A (SCCA)
Formula B (SCCA)
Formula C (SCCA)
FCJ
Formula Dream
Formula Holden
S5000
Formula Junior
Formula Libre
Formula Mondial
Formula Pacific
Formula Super Vee
Australian National Formula
Tasman Series
One-make
formulae
Active
Formula Car Challenge
Formula Enterprise
Indy NXT
MRF Challenge
SRF
USF Pro 2000
USF2000
USF Juniors
FIA Formula Championship
2
3
Defunct
ADAC Formel Masters
Barber Pro
CFGP
Formula Asia
Formula
Abarth
Alfa
BMW
Chrysler
König
LGB
Swift
Hyundai
Lightning
Maruti
Masters
China
Russia
Mazda
Nissan
Opel/Vauxhall
Palmer Audi
RUS
Rolon
Formula Renault
2.0L
GP2
GP3
Toyota Racing Series
S5000
Kart racing
Active
Direct-drive
OK
OK-J
OK-N
OKN-J
60 Mini
Gearbox
KZ
KZ2
KZ2-M
Superkart
Defunct
KF1
Touring
car racing
Active
BTCC
NGTC (TCN-1)
TCR (TCN-2)
Stock Car Pro Series
Stock Series
Supercars
Top Race V6
Turismo Nacional
Turismo Nacional BR
TC2000
Defunct
Appendix J
BTC-T
Group 1
Group 2
Group 5
Group A
Group C
Group E
Group F
Group G
Group H
Group N
Aus
Group S
Class 1
Class 2
Super 2000
Diesel 2000
DTM
ETCR
Superstars
V8Star
WTCC
WTCR
Stock
car racing
Active
ARCA
Allison Legacy Series
IMCA Sport Compact
Late model
Legends
Modifieds
NASCAR
Cup
O'Reilly
Truck
Canada
Whelen Euro Series
Mexico
Super Stock
Street Stock
Turismo Carretera
Defunct
ASCAR
AUSCAR
IROC
SRX
Oval
BriSCA F1
BriSCA F2
V8 Hotstox
Hot Rods
Superstocks
Superstox
Sprint car racing
Midget car racing
Quarter midget racing
Rallying
Active
Groups Rally
Group Rally1
Group Rally2
Group Rally3
Group Rally4
Group Rally5
Group R-GT
Defunct
Group 1
Group 2
Group 4
Group A
Group B
Group S
Group N
Group R
Super 1600
Super 2000
World Rally Car
Sports
prototypes
Active
LMDh
LMH
LMP
LMP2
LMP3
Clubmans
Defunct
DP
DPi
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6
Group 7
Group A
Group C
Group CN
GC
GC-21
IMSA GTP (1981–1993 era)
LMP
LMP1
LMPC
S2000
Grand
touring
Active
GT3
GT2
GT4
GT500
GT300
Trans-Am
Defunct
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group B
Group D
GT1 (1993–1999)
GT1 (2000–2012)
GT2 (1993–1999)
GT2 (2005–2010)
GT3 (1998–1999)
LM GTE
IMSA
AAGT
GTO
GTS
GTU
GTX
Appendix K
Drag
racing
Active
Top Fuel
Dragster (TF/D)
Funny Car (TF/FC)
Top Alcohol
Dragster (TA/D)
Funny Car (TA/FC)
Pro Stock (PS)
Pro Modified (Pro Mod)
Gas
Super Stock
Super Comp/Quick Rod
Top Doorslammer
Altered
Competition
Radial vs. The World
Pro 275
X275
Outlaw 10.5
Defunct
Top Gas
Modified
Pro FWD
Off-road
Baja Bug
Dune buggy
Rallycross
Autocross
Trophy truck
Group T1
Group T2
Group T3
Group T4
Group T5
Truggy
Side by Side (UTV)
About Tourism in the Arab world
Map of the Arab countries (in green)House next to the tomb of Sultan Sidi Boumediene in Tlemcen, AlgeriaCamel rides in the Sahara, MoroccoRoman Temples of Baalbek, LebanonCasbah of Algiers, Algeria
Tourism in the Arab World encompasses a wide array of activities and tourist attractions in an area spanning more than 13 million square kilometers. The Arab World mainly consists of the Arabic-speaking countries and populations in North Africa and Western Asia. The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 countries and territories of the Arab League: 10 countries in Africa, and 12 countries in Asia. Geographically, it stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the east, and from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean in the southeast. It has a combined population of around 422 million people.
The Arab World is divided into five main geographic regions: the Maghreb in Northwest Africa, the Nile Valley and the Horn of Africa in Northeast Africa, the Levant in the eastern Mediterranean, and the Arabian Peninsula in southwestern Asia. Egypt is the only transcontinental country by virtue of the Sinai Peninsula, which lies in Asia.
The vast area covered by the Arab World encompasses wide and diverse geographical features ranging from deserts and shrublands to Mediterranean forests and snow-capped mountain ranges. Deserts reign in most of northern Africa where the Sahara exists, the world's hottest desert where some of the sand dunes can reach 180 metres (590 feet) in height. The Arabian Peninsula is mainly covered by a range of deserts: the Nefud in the north, which is a stony desert; the Rub' Al-Khali or "Great Arabian Desert" in the south, and between them, the Dahna desert. In contrast, the Arab World boasts some of the highest mountain ranges in both Africa and Asia. The Atlas Mountains rise from the northern Sahara to peak of 4,167 m before cascading east towards the Mediterranean and west towards the Atlantic Ocean. The Hijaz mountains rise parallel to the Red Sea on the western edge of the Arabian Peninsula, separating the coastline from the inland deserts. Mountains like the Mount Lebanon and the Taurus Mountains mark the edges of the Levant, providing heavy rainfall and snowfall, thus nurturing the areas' forest landscapes.
The areas within the Arab World witnessed the first forms of civilization, specifically in Ancient Egypt, the Levant and Mesopotamia. Throughout history, numerous civilizations, both local and foreign, settled in and ruled the Arab World each of them leaving its trace of monuments and landmarks. This made the regions within the Arab World a mosaic of remnants from most of the civilizations of the Old World. In some countries, you can find Ancient Roman temples next to an Umayyad palace, or a Crusader castle in a Mamluk old town, or even an Eastern Orthodox Church next to an Ottoman mosque.
Maghreb
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Timgad, AlgeriaOasis in Ubari, LibyaEl Djem amphitheater, Tunisia
Main article: Maghreb
The Maghreb is usually defined as much or most of the region of Northwest Africa, west of Egypt. The traditional definition as being the region including the Atlas Mountains and the coastal plains of Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania and Libya. The term maghrib is in origin an Arabic word for "west", denoting the westernmost territories that fell to the Islamic conquests of the 7th century. Partially isolated from the rest of the continent by the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara desert, inhabitants of the northern parts of the Maghreb have long had commercial and cultural ties to the inhabitants of the Mediterranean countries of Southern Europe and Western Asia, going back at least to the Phoenicians in the 1st millennium BC (the Phoenician colony of Carthage having been founded, according to tradition, in what is now Tunisia c. 800 BC). The region was somewhat unified as an independent political entity during the rule of the Berber kingdom of Numidia, which was followed by Roman Empire's rule or influence. That was followed by the brief invasion of the Germanic Vandals, the equally brief re-establishment of a weak Byzantine rule by the Byzantine Empire, the rule of the Islamic Caliphates under the Umayyads, the Abbasids, and the Fatimids. The most enduring rule was that of the local Berber Muslim empires of Almoravids, Almohads, Hammadids, Zirids, Marinids, Wattasids (to name some of those among the most prominent) during the 8th to 13th centuries. The Ottoman Turks ruled the region as well.
In 1989, the five modern states of Northwest Africa established the Maghreb Union to promote cooperation and economic integration in a common market.
Maghreb is home to 1 percent of the global population as of 2010. Maghrebi people include Moroccans (along with Sahrawis), Algerians, Libyans, Mauritanians, and Tunisians. Maghrebis are largely composed of Berber and Arab descent with European and Sub-Saharan elements.
Various other influences are also prominent throughout the Maghreb. In northern coastal towns, in particular, several waves of European immigrants influenced the population in the Medieval era. Most notable were the moriscos and muwallads, that is, the indigenous Spaniards who had earlier converted to the Muslim faith and were fleeing, together with ethnic Arab and Berber Muslims, from the Spanish Catholic Reconquista. Other European contributions included French, Italians, and others captured by the corsairs. Another significant group are Turks who came over with the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. A large Turkish descended population exists, particularly in Tunisia and Algeria.
The impact of all these superimposed cultures are noticeable in the diverse culture of the Maghreb, as well as in its architecture, heritage, and cuisine.
Tunisia
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Main article: Tourism in Tunisia
Hammamet, Tunisia
Tunisia is the smallest country in North Africa with an area of almost 165,000 square kilometres (64,000 mi2) and an estimated population of just under 10.7 million. Its name is derived from the capital Tunis located in the northeast. The south of the country is composed of the Sahara desert, with much of the remainder consisting of particularly fertile soil and 1,300 kilometres (810 miles) of coastline along the Mediterranean. Tunisia's climate is temperate in the north, with mild rainy winters and hot, dry summers. Until recently, Tunisia's main attraction was on its northeast coastline around Tunis; however, the Seventh National Development Plan of 1989 created several new tourist areas around the country. The tourism sector now represents 6.5% of Tunisia's GDP and provides 340,000 jobs of which 85,000 are direct jobs, or 11.5% of the working population with a high share of seasonal employment. This sector is popular mainly on the east coast, totaling more than 95% of beds. At the heart of the city lies the Medina of Tunis, built on a gentle hill sloping towards the Tunis Lake, a historical heart of the city and home to many monuments, including palaces, such as the Dar Ben Abdallah and Dar Hussein, the mausoleum of Tourbet el Bey or many mosques such as Zitouna Mosque. Inside the Medina lie the souks, a network of covered streets lined with shops and traders and artisans ordered by specialty. Clothing merchants, perfumers, fruit sellers, booksellers and wool merchants have goods at the souks, while fishmongers, blacksmiths and potters tend to be relegated to the periphery of the markets. Another popular destination is Carthage, a 3,000-year-old Phoenician colony and capital of the ancient Carthaginian Empire. Hammamet is a famous coastal destination due to its beaches and suitability for swimming and water sports. Sousse's center is designated as a World Heritage Site, with the citrus Orchards and olive groves surrounding the old town are backed by long stretches of sandy shores.
Algeria
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Main article: Tourism in Algeria
Constantine, Algeria
Algeria is the tenth-largest country in the world, and the largest in Africa and in the Mediterranean Basin, with a total area of 2,381,741 square kilometres (919,595 mi2). The territory of today's Algeria was the home of many ancient prehistoric cultures, including Aterian and Capsian cultures. Its area has known many empires and dynasties, including ancient Berber Numidians, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Arab Umayyads, Berber Fatimids, Berber Almoravids, Berber Almohads and later Turkish Ottomans. Algeria's southern part includes a significant portion of the Sahara. To the north, the Tell Atlas form with the Saharan Atlas, further south, two parallel sets of reliefs in approaching eastbound, and between which are inserted vast plains and highlands. Both Atlas tend to merge in eastern Algeria. The vast mountain ranges of Aures and Nememcha occupy the entire northeastern Algeria and are delineated by the Tunisian border. The highest point is Mount Tahat (3,003 m). There are several UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Algeria including Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad, the first capital of the Hammadid empire; Tipasa, a Phoenician and later Roman town; and Djémila and Timgad, both Roman ruins; M'Zab Valley, a limestone valley containing a large urbanized oasis; also the Casbah of Algiers is an important citadel. The only natural World Heritage Sites is the Tassili n'Ajjer, a mountain range. Algiers is the country's cosmopolitan capital, displaying much of the French Architectural heritage due to years of colonization. The modern part of the city is built on the level ground by the seashore; the old part, the ancient city of the deys, climbs the steep hill behind the modern town and is crowned by the casbah or citadel, 122 metres (400 feet) above the sea. The casbah and the two quays form a triangle. The city is sometimes nicknamed "Alger la Blanche" ("Algiers the White") because of the glistening white of its colonial-era buildings as seen rising up from the sea.
Libya
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Mauritania
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Nile Valley
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Main article: Nile Valley
Egypt
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Sudan
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Horn of Africa
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Djibouti
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Main article: Tourism in Djibouti
The Arrei Mountains.
Djibouti is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east. Djibouti occupies a total area of just 23,200 km2 (9,000 sq mi). In antiquity, the territory was part of the Land of Punt. The Djibouti area, along with other localities in the Horn region, was later the seat of the medieval Adal Sultunate and Ifat Sultanate. In the late 19th century, the colony of French Somaliland was established following treaties signed by the ruling Somali and Afar Sultans with the French. Djibouti is a multi-ethnic nation, with a population of over 790,000 inhabitants. The Somali and Afar make up the two largest ethnic groups. Both speak Afro-Asiatic languages, which serve as recognized national languages. Arabic and French constitute the country's two official languages. About 94% of residents adhere to Islam, a religion with a long-standing presence in the region. There is not much seasonal variation in Djibouti's climate. Hot conditions prevail year-round along with winter rainfalls. Mean daily maximum temperatures range from 32 to 41 °C (90 to 106 °F), except at high elevations, where the effects of a cold offshore current can be felt. The Goda Mountains lie northwest of the Gulf of Tadjoura, Tadjoura Region in Djibouti. They rise to 1,750 metres (5,740 feet) above sea level and are the nation's largest heavily vegetated area. The ecology of this landform is considered an isolated outlier of the Ethiopian montane forest ecological zone, an important island of forest in a sea of semi-desert. Lake Assal (literally translated to "honey lake") is a crater lake in central-eastern Djibouti. It is a saline lake which lies 155 m (509 ft) below sea level in the Afar Triangle, making it the lowest point on land in Africa and the third lowest land depression on Earth after the Dead Sea and Sea of Galilee. There is no outflow from the lake and, due to high evaporation, the salinity level of its waters is ten times that of the sea, making it the most saline in the world after Don Juan Pond.
Somalia
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Main article: Tourism in Somalia
Tourism in Somalia was traditionally noted for its numerous historical sites, beaches, waterfalls, mountain ranges and national parks. In the pre-independence period, European explorers would occasionally travel to Somalia and other parts of the Horn of Africa to visit the region's numerous historical sites described in old documents like the 1st century CE Periplus of the Erythraean Sea.
Following Somalia's independence in 1960, the Ministry of Tourism was established in order to regulate the national tourist industry.[1] In 1969, the Law on Fauna (Hunting) and Forest Conservation was passed, which defined and provided for the establishment of controlled areas, game reserves and partial game reserves. It was later amended in 1978.[2]
Tourism in Somalia is today regulated by the reconstituted national Ministry of Tourism. The autonomous Puntland and Somaliland regions maintain their own tourist offices.[3] Headquartered in Mogadishu, the Somali Tourism Association (SOMTA) also provides consulting services from within the country on the national tourist industry.[4]
Due to the long absence of governmental regulation, it is uncertain how many international inbound tourists visit Somalia per year.[5] However, visas and stay permits are now mandatory for all foreign nationals. As of April 2013, the re-established Somali Immigration Department requires all undocumented foreigners to register at its offices in the capital.[6]
Indian Ocean islands
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Comoros
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Main article: Tourism in Comoros
Comoros is a sovereign archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel off the eastern coast of Africa, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar. Other countries near the Comoros are Tanzania to the northwest and the Seychelles to the northeast. Its capital city is Moroni, situated on Grande Comore the largest island in the archipelago. As a nation formed at a crossroads of many civilizations, the archipelago is noted for its diverse culture and history. The Union of the Comoros has three official languages – Comorian, Arabic and French. Officially, in addition to many smaller islands, the country consists of the four major islands in the volcanic Comoros archipelago: northwesternmost Grande Comore (Ngazidja); Mohéli (Mwali); Anjouan (Nzwani); and southeasternmost Mayotte (Maore). Although the Comoros has many natural resources for tourism, such as its beaches and marine environment, it does not have as strong a tourist industry as its regional competitors Réunion, Mauritius, and Seychelles. Its weak tourist industry is mainly because of its insecure political climate, with many political upheavals over the past three decades. Tourists in the Comoros are mainly wealthy Americans and Europeans, while much of the investment in hotels has come from South Africa. The main tourist attractions in the Comoros are its beaches, underwater fishing, and mountain scenery. Mohéli is a picturesque tourist attraction. Grand Comore has an international airport and most of the Comoros' few hotels.
Levant
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alquds"Cedars of God" Forest, LebanonJerash, Jordan
Main article: Levant
The Levant is the cultural and geographic region east of the Mediterranean sea, south of the Anatolian Peninsula, west of the Iranian plateau, and north of the Arabian Desert. The region has many names like the "Fertile Crescent", "Eastern Mediterranean", "Syria (region)", "Mashriq" which is the Arabic word for "Levant". The Eastern Mediterranean Muslims, Christians and Circassians speak Levantine Arabic. These populations share not only the language, but the geographic position, cuisine, some customs, and a very long history.
Geographically speaking, the Levant boasts some of the most diverse natural features in the Arab World. The Syrian Desert, a 200,000-square-miles wide rocky and flat desert, occupies the center of the Levant and is considered a continuation of the Arabian Desert. To its east lies Mesopotamia, fertile agricultural plains traversed by two rivers: Euphrates and Tigris. Both rivers originate from Anatolia and are fed by numerous tributaries; the entire river system drains a vast mountainous region. In the western Levant, hilly terrains and mountain ranges rise parallel to the Mediterranean coastline from the north to the south encompassing the: An-Nusayriyah Mountains, Lebanon Mountains, Galilee Hills, Samarian Hills, and Judaean Mountains. This mountainous barrier receives a substantial amount of precipitation and snow, and enjoys a thick forest cover, mainly Mediterranean woodlands and forests. Between the Mountains and the shoreline extends a densely populated narrow and fertile coastal plain.
The Levant is considered the Cradle of Civilization, as it witnessed the first formations of human culture. Historically, the Levant was populated and controlled by local civilizations, sometimes one controlling all others. Through the passing time, the Levant was subject to occupation by several foreign empires, mainly Persians and Romans, before falling under the control of the Byzantines after the Decline of the Roman Empire. The rise of Islam in Arabia followed by the Muslim conquests subjugated the Levant to the rule of the Rashidun Caliphate, followed by other Islamic dynasties like the Umayyads, the Abbasids, the Mamluks, and finally the Ottomans. After World War I, the Levant was divided between France and Britain according to the Sykes–Picot Agreement into spheres of influence, eventually leading to the emergence of several new states.
Palestine
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Main article: Tourism in Palestine
The Palestinian territories refers to East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. In 2010, 4.6 million people visited the Palestinian territories, compared to 2.6 million in 2009. Of that number, 2.2 million were foreign tourists while 2.7 million were domestic.[7] In the last quarter of 2012 over 150,000 guests stayed in West Bank hotels; 40% were European and 9% were from the United States and Canada.[8] Major travel guides write that "the West Bank is not the easiest place in which to travel but the effort is richly rewarded."[9]
The Palestinian Authority and Israeli tourism ministries have attempted to work together on tourism in the Palestinian territories in a Joint Committee.[10] Recent cooperation to share access to foreign tourists has not proven successful in Palestine for many reasons.[11] Israel controls the movement of tourists into the West Bank.[12] Palestinian tour guides or transportation companies have not been able to enter Israel since 2000, and in 2009, Israel's Ministry of Tourism deleted the West Bank and any Palestinian area from its materials. Former Palestinian Authority Tourism Minister Kholoud Diibes has commented "that Israel collects 90% of [religious] pilgrim-related revenue".[13] Foreign tourism has been restricted to East Jerusalem and the West Bank since the August 2013 indefinite closing of the Rafah crossing located between Egypt and the Hamas controlled Gaza Strip.[14] There is essentially no tourist flow to Gaza since 2005 because of the ongoing Israeli military land, sea, and air blockade.
In 2013 Palestinian Authority Tourism minister Rula Ma'ay'a stated that her government aims to encourage international visits to Palestine, but the occupation is the main factor preventing the tourism sector from becoming a major income source to Palestinians.[15] There are no visa conditions imposed on foreign nationals other than those imposed by the visa policy of Israel. Access to Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza is completely controlled by the Government of Israel. Entry to the occupied Palestinian territories requires only a valid international passport.[16] U.S. citizens who are suspected of being Muslims, Arabs, or "being participants in planned political protest activities or of supporting NGOs that are critical of Israeli policies" are often subjected to extensive questioning from immigration officials.[17] These groups of tourists are subject to delay, interrogation, or even, denial of access to lawyers, consular officers, and family, and denial of entry.[18][19][20]
Lebanon
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Main article: Tourism in Lebanon
Syria
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Main article: Tourism in Syria
Jordan
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Main article: Tourism in Jordan
Jordan is an Arab kingdom in the Middle East, on the East Bank of the River Jordan, and extending into the historic region of Palestine. Jordan borders Saudi Arabia to the south and east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and Israel to the west, sharing control of the Dead Sea with the latter. It consists of an arid plateau in the east, irrigated by oasis and seasonal water streams, with highland area in the west of arable land and Mediterranean evergreen forestry. The Jordan Rift Valley of the Jordan River separates Jordan from Palestine and Israel. The highest point in the country is Jabal Umm al Dami, at 1,854 m (6,083 ft) above sea level, its top is also covered with snow, while the lowest is the Dead Sea −420 m (−1,380 ft). The most common tourist site is Petra capital of the Nabateans, a rose-stone city carved out of the cliffs and hidden among a complex of arid narrow gorges. Another historical site is Jerash, an ancient Roman city famous for its well-preserved street grid, hippodrome, and fine colonnades. Several other towns like Al Karak and Ajloun are home to large-scale well-preserved Crusader citadels. Jordan has significant religious sites as well like the Jordan River, which is the river where Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist, Madaba, a highly religious site renowned for its mosaics, and Mount Nebo, where Moses was said to have gone to get a view of the Promised Land before he died. Aqaba is the country's only outlet to the sea. The city houses numerous resorts and hotels and is famous for its Red Sea coral reefs. Wadi Rum is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern Jordan; it is the largest wadi in Jordan. Popular activities in this desert valley environment include camping under the stars, riding Arab horses, hiking and rock-climbing among the massive rock formations.
Iraq
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Main article: Tourism in Iraq
Mosul Museum is the second largest museum in Iraq after the Iraq Museum in Baghdad. It contains ancient Mesopotamian artifacts.
Iraq was an important tourist destination for many years but that changed dramatically during the war with Iran and after the 2003 invasion by US and allies. As Iraq continues to develop and stabilises, the tourism in Iraq is still facing many challenges, little has been made by the government to meet its tremendous potential as a global tourist destination, and gain the associated economic benefits, mainly due to conflicts. However, in recent years the government has made some efforts to attract tourists to the various destinations in the country and arrivals have increased. Sites from Iraq's ancient past are numerous and many that are close to large cities have been excavated. Babylon has seen major recent restoration; known for its famous Ziggurat (the inspiration for the Biblical Tower of Babel), the Hanging Gardens (one of the Seven Wonders of the World), and the Ishtar Gate, making it a prime destination. Nineveh, a rival to Babylon, has also seen significant restoration and reconstruction. Ur, one of the first Sumerian cities, which is near Nasiriyya, has been partially restored. This is a list of examples of some significant sites in a country with a tremendous archaeological and historic wealth.[21] Iraq is considered to be a potential location for ecotourism.[22] The tourism in Iraq includes also making pilgrimages to holy Shia sites near Karbala and Najaf.
Arabian Peninsula
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Pilgrims in MeccaRas al-Jinz, the easternmost point of the Arabian PeninsulaOmanDubai Marina, United Arab EmiratesMadinat Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab
Main article: Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2 (1,250,000 sq mi). The area is an important part of the Asian continent and plays a critical geopolitical role of the Middle East and Arab World due to its vast reserves of oil and natural gas. The peninsula formed as a result of the rifting of the Red Sea between 56 and 23 million years ago, and is bordered by the Red Sea to the west, the Persian Gulf to the northeast, and the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea to the southeast.
The northern portion of the peninsula merges with the Syrian Desert with no clear border line, although the northern boundary of the Arabian Peninsula is generally considered to be the northern borders of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The most prominent feature of the peninsula is desert, but in the southwest there are mountain ranges which receive greater rainfall than the rest of the Arabian Peninsula.
The peninsula's constituent countries are (clockwise north to south) Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, Yemen on the south and Saudi Arabia at the center. The island nation of Bahrain lies off the east coast of the peninsula. Six countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman form the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), also known as the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia covers the greater part of the peninsula. The majority of the population of the peninsula live in Saudi Arabia and in Yemen.
The history of the Arabian Peninsula goes back to the beginnings of human habitation in Arabia up to 20,000 years ago. The region has twice in world history had a global impact. The first was in the 7th century when it became the cradle of Islam. The second was from the mid-20th century when the discovery of vast oil deposits propelled it into a key economic and geo-political role. At other times, the region existed in relative obscurity and isolation, although from the 7th century the cities of Mecca and Medina had the highest spiritual significance for the Islamic world, Mecca being the destination for the Hajj annual pilgrimage. For much of its history most of the Arabian Peninsula has been controlled by a patchwork of tribal rulers.
Saudi Arabia
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Main article: Tourism in Saudi Arabia
The mountains, valleys and Red Sea beaches with turquoise water are known for some of the world's finest diving and attract some, but comparatively few, tourists. Some other spots are hard to reach, such as the Nabatean ruins, a four-hour drive from Medina, the nearest city with an airport for visitors to fly into. The Kingdom is almost totally dependent on oil, a habit Prince Sultan Bin Salman wants to change by forming the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities in 2000. There are several museums in Saudi Arabia like the Royal Saudi Air Force Museum and the National Museum of Saudi Arabia. The Royal Saudi Air Force Museum or "Saqr Al-Jazira" is located on the East Ring Road of the Saudi capital Riyadh between exits 10 and 11. A Saudia Lockheed L-1011 Tristar serves as a gateguard visible from the ring road. The museum gives the history of the Royal Saudi Air Force from its establishment in the 1920s to the present day. The museum comprises an outdoor static park and a large and modern indoor museum. The National Museum of Saudi Arabia is another major national museum in Saudi Arabia. Established in 1999, it is part of the King Abdul Aziz Historical Centre in Riyadh. It covers several topics about Islam, Prophet Muhammad's journeys, and the pre-Islamic history of Arabia. Diriyah is an old town, designated as a World Heritage Site, that used to be the ruling capital of the First Saudi State. Another Major World Heritage Site is Mada'in Saleh composed of gigantic tombs and burial chambers carved out of stone cliffs with native artistic designs. Tourism in Saudi Arabia is largely based around religious pilgrimage. Mecca receives over three million pilgrims a year during the month of Hajj, and around two million during the month of Ramadan in Umrah.
Oman
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Main article: Tourism in Oman
Muscat seafront, Oman
Sultanate of Oman is the easternmost country of the Arabian Peninsula. Oman's coast is lined with many soft sand beaches. Activity for beach visitors include sunning, swimming, kite-surfing, diving, snorkeling, boating, surfing, beach combing and shell collecting. The beaches are popular with families, walkers, and joggers. They are lined with restaurants, snack bars and cafes. Desert safari is becoming a very popular activity; it can be either done on camels or by four-wheel drives. Nearly every Omani city and town has its own fort. Most of them were built or had major expansions during Al-Yarubi dynasty rule of Oman in between 1624 and 1744. They represent the fine Omani architecture and prosperity at that time. In times of war and with high and thick walls, their purpose was as a refuge for the people and a last line of defense for the town. Forts were prepared to withstand long siege with water wells, food storing capacity and secret tunnels ending many kilometers away from the walls of the fort. In times of peace they served as a center of governance, a place for education and a social interaction point. Some of these famous forts are the Nakhal fort and the Bahla fort, both of which are designated as World Heritage Sites. Other World Heritage sites include the "Frankincense Route", a set of locations that collectively contributed to the flourishing of frankincense trade for many centuries., and the "Falaj", a rare 2000-year-old water system and irrigation structure. Many of Oman's old cities are still well-preserved and serve as traditional souqs. Omani Souqs (Markets) are preferable locations to purchase handicrafts and are always bustling with tourists. Omani markets are characterized by their diversity. Old markets are full of handicrafts like silver, gold, textiles and masterpieces produced by other Omani industries like daggers and coexist with modern shopping malls and other shopping centers.
United Arab Emirates
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Main article: Tourism in Dubai
The United Arab Emirates, or UAE, is country on the southeast edge of the Arabian Peninsula, overlooking the Persian Gulf. The UAE is composed of 7 Emirates, or principalities, each ruled by a historic Arabian dynasty. The country was formed when the seven emirates decided to form a federation back in 1971, and later witnessed a huge economic and development boom with the discovery of oil. The Capital of the UAE is Abu Dhabi, while Dubai is the largest city and major financial center. The other emirates are Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain. Tourism Plays a vital role in the economy of the United Arab Emirates, with the number of visitors surpassing 10 million tourists per year.[23] Dubai maintains the highest share of tourists among the other emirates. Dubai gained a lot of media attention with ambitious mega-projects like: Burj Khalifa, the world's highest tower, The Dubai Mall, the world's biggest shopping mall, the Palm Islands, a series of three artificial palm-shaped islands, the World Islands, the man-made archipelago in the shape of the world map, Burj Al Arab, the world's only 7-star hotel, Madinat Jumeirah, a 40 hectares traditional Arabian resort town, Dubai Marina, a 3-km long canal city with the highest residential tower in the world, Dubai Fountain, Ski Dubai, Downtown Burj Dubai, among several others. Dubai also maintains some historic landmarks, dating back to the city's heritage as a small fishing and trading outpost along the Persian Gulf, like the: Dubai Creek, a saltwater inlet that was the center of Dubai's ancient trade and pearling industry, Dubai Spice Souk, the old merchants' market selling frankincense, shisha, herbs, textiles, incense, rugs and artifacts, Dubai Gold Souk, a traditional bustling Souk with over 300 gold retailers, Grand Mosque (Dubai), a century-old sandstone mosque with a 70-meters high minaret, Al Bastakiya, a well-preserved old town famous for its iconic Wind Towers, Al Ahmadiya School, one of the most ancient educational institutions, Al Fahidi Fort, an 18th-century grand Arabian Fort turned into a museum, Al Souk Al Kabir, one of the oldest residential & commercial districts in Dubai, among several other sites. The Geographic nature of the UAE provides several opportunities for tourism. The UAE enjoys a 650 km stretch of coastline along the Persian Gulf, and a significantly smaller coast along the Gulf of Oman. Most of the coast consists of salt pans that extend far inland, with several islands and coral reefs dotting the shoreline. The desert landscape inland is dominated by rolling sand dunes disrupted by a handful of oasis, like the Liwa Oasis. Abu Dhabi, the country's capital and second-largest city, boasts its share of tourist attractions as well; most importantly: Emirates Palace, a grand Arabian Palace/Hotel with a 1.3 km beachfront & 100 hectares of gardens, Ferrari World, the world's largest indoor amusement park, Yas Marina Circuit, the site of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Hotel Abu Dhabi, the hotel built over a section of the Formula One circuit, Abu Dhabi Corniche, a pedestrian seaside promenade along the city's coastline, Yas Island, a man-made multi-use leisure island, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, a vast mosque structure composed of 82 domes and is entirely covered with white marble.
Bahrain
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Bahrain contains an area of 718 km2 and a population of around 700,000
Qatar
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Main article: List of tourist attractions in Qatar
Qatar is a peninsular Arab country whose terrain comprises arid desert and a long Persian Gulf shoreline of beaches and dunes. Capital Doha is known for its futuristic skyscrapers and other ultramodern architecture inspired by ancient Islamic design, such as the limestone Museum of Islamic Art, which is situated on the city's Corniche waterfront promenade.
Kuwait
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Kuwait holds vast oil fields and for its tourism mostly focuses on its history with the gulf war.
Statistics
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Number of tourists in 2024 by country:
Saudi Arabia 17.5 million
Morocco 17.4 million
Egypt 17 million
United Arab Emirates 16.7 million
Tunisia 9.4 million
Jordan 4.5 million
Bahrain 3.8 million
Oman 2.5 million
Algeria 2.4 million
Qatar 2.1 million
Lebanon 1.9 million
Iraq 1.5 million
Sudan 813,000
Palestine 606,000
Syria 170,000
Mauritania 1,500
References
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^Coastal and Marine Environmental Problems of Somalia, Volume 1. UNEP. 1987. p. 127.
^International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (1989). The Iucn Sahel Studies 1989. IUCN. p. 107. ISBN 2880329779.
^"New tourism ministry under construction in Garowe". Sabahi. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
^"Somali Tourism Association (SOMTA)". Somali Tourism Association. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
^"International tourism, number of arrivals". World Bank. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
^"Somali immigration authority calls for registration of foreigners". Sabahi. 11 April 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
^M'aan (26 September 2011). "PCBS: Marked increase in West Bank tourism in 2010". M'aan. Archived from the original on 18 June 2013. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
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^Enz, Cathy A. (2009). Hospitality Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases (2 ed.). John Wiley and Sons. p. 273. ISBN 978-0-470-08359-8.
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Tourism in the Arab world
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Bahrain
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates
Dubai
Yemen
North Africa
Algeria
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Mauritania
Morocco
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Common themes
Tourism in the Arab World
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http://www.choiceholidaysae.com/
About Kawasaki
Look up Kawasaki or 川崎 in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Kawasaki (Japanese: 川崎, romanized: Kawasaki, lit. 'river peninsula') may refer to:
Places
[edit]
Kawasaki, Kanagawa, a Japanese city
Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, a ward in Kawasaki, Kanagawa
Kawasaki City Todoroki Arena
Kawasaki Stadium, a multi-sport stadium
Kawasaki, Fukuoka, a Japanese town
Kawasaki, Iwate, a Japanese village
Kawasaki, Miyagi, a Japanese town
Tokyo-Yokohama-Kawasaki, Japanese conurbation
Transportation
[edit]
Kawasaki Route (Japanese: 川崎線, romanized: Kawasaki-sen), a toll road of the Shuto expressway system in Greater Tokyo
Kawasaki line, several lines
Kawasaki station, several stations
Businesses
[edit]
Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI), a Japanese manufacturer of aerospace equipment, ATVs, engines, industrial plants, motorcycles, jet skis, ships, tractors, trains and so on
Kawasaki Heavy Industries Motorcycle & Engine, a division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Kawasaki motorcycles
Kawasaki Motors Racing, the European subsidiary of Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation, the shipbuilding subsidiary of Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Kawasaki Heavy Industries Rolling Stock Company, the railroad division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Kawasaki Aerospace Company, the aerospace division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha or K Line, a Japanese transport company
Kawasaki Steel Corporation, predecessor of JFE Holdings
People
[edit]
Kawasaki (surname), a Japanese surname
Other uses
[edit]
Battle of Kawasaki, at Kawasaki, Mutsu, Japan; in 1057 in the Zenkunen War between the Abe clan and Minamoto clan
Kawasaki disease (Kawasaki's), a vascular disease found primarily in young children
Kawasaki Racecourse, a horseracing dirt track, in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
Shaking rat Kawasaki, the Kawasaki lineage of laboratory rat animals
Kawasaki-type oiler (Japanese: 川崎型油槽船, romanized: Kawasaki-gata Yusōsen), an oil tanker and refueller ship class
See also
[edit]
Search for "kawasaki" on Wikipedia.
Kawasaki Frontale, a football (soccer) club in Kawasaki, Kanagawa
Verdy Kawasaki, former name of current Tokyo Verdy, a football (soccer) club
All pages with titles containing Kawasaki or Kawasakis
All pages with titles beginning with Kawasaki
Kawa (disambiguation)
Saki (disambiguation)
Topics referred to by the same term
This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Kawasaki.
If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.
About Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
It was an amazing experience driving through the desert with a 4x4, having a great dinner in the camp with good entertainment. And our driver Mohammed was awesome: very friendly, always pointing out interesting things to see and thankfully very skilled when driving through the dunes.
Arabian Nights Tours Camp in Abu Dhabi, UAE, offers an immersive desert adventure experience. Located in the heart of the Arabian desert, the camp provides guests with a traditional Bedouin-style setting, complete with comfortable tents and authentic decor. Visitors can enjoy a range of activities, including dune bashing, camel rides, and sandboarding. The camp also features cultural entertainment such as belly dancing, henna painting, and traditional music. Guests are treated to a sumptuous buffet of Arabic cuisine under the stars, making for a memorable and picturesque desert experience. Arabian Nights Tours Camp combines adventure, culture, and relaxation in a stunning desert landscape.
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
What payment methods are accepted for Quad Biking Tours Dubai?
We accept card payments online through our secure booking system and cash payments on the day of your Quad Biking Tours Dubai visit. All major credit cards are welcome.
How do I book Quad Biking Tours Dubai?
Book your Quad Biking Tours Dubai by calling our 24 hour line at 971 52 440 9525 or email info@dunebuggyrentalsdubai.com. Online booking and WhatsApp reservations are also available.
Can I cancel my Quad Biking Tours Dubai reservation?
Yes we offer flexible cancellation policies for Quad Biking Tours Dubai. Contact our team in advance if your plans change and we will assist with rescheduling or cancellation.