| Geography and Climate |
In the south, the coastal plain is a narrow, sandy, almost rainless area with high temperatures. Along the west coast, a semi-desert region, the Tihamah, extends inland an average of 48 km. Mountains, broken by deep valleys, and highland plateaus dominate the center of the country. The largest valley is Hadhramaut in the central region.The highlands have no permanent streams, but many have cut valleys and gorges in the terrain. Near the northeastern border, the elevations decrease, and the land is dominated by the great sandy desert of the Rub‘ al Khali.
The climate of the coastal plains is hot and dry; the average annual temperature is about 28°C. Average annual rainfall is 76 mm on the south coast, and 229 mm on the west coast. Winds blowing northwest in summer and southwest in winter bring severe sandstorms. The mountainous interior has a temperate climate, and the winters are generally cool. Annual rainfall in the highlands ranges from about 406 to 762 mm.
Ref. Microsoft, 1996 |