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Jebel Akhdar (Oman)
Encyclopedia
The Jebel Akhdar, Jabal Akhdar or Al Jabal Al Akhdar ( meaning The Green Mountain), also known as the camals hideout, is part of the Al Hajar Mountains
range in Oman
, which extends about 300 km (186 mi) northwest to southeast, between 50-100 km (31-62 mi) inland from the Gulf of Oman
coast. It is one of Oman’s most spectacular areas. The highest point, Jabal Shams (the mountain of the sun), is around 3,000 metres (around 9,800 feet) high. It is the highest point in Oman and the whole of eastern Arabia
. It comprises the central section of the Al Hajar Mountains
range, and is located around 150 km (93 mi) from Muscat
.
The range is mostly desert
, but at higher altitudes it receives around 300 mm (12 in) of precipitation
annually, moist enough to allow the growth of shrub
s and tree
s and support agriculture
. It is this that gives the mountains their 'green' name. Cool summers provide the visitor with fresh air surrounded by breathtaking stones. The area is about 2 hours drive from Nizwa and is famous for its traditional rose water extraction and agricultural products including pomegranate
, apricot
, peach
and walnut
. The Jebel is mostly inhabited by the ancient Arab
tribe Bani Riyam (al Riyamy) Pop.( approx. 14,000 ). However most descendants of the tribe are now in nearby towns Such as Nizwa
, Izki and some inhabit Ibra
.
The Jebel Akhdar was the scene for a conflict
between Omani forces loyal to the Sultan of Oman
(aided by British soldiers including the Special Air Service
) and Saudi Arabia
n backed rebel forces of the inland Imamate of Oman between 1957 and 1959. This conflict is known as the Jebel Akhdar War
.
In August 2011, Sultan Qaboos designated Jebel Akhdar a nature reserve
in a bid to conserve its unique yet fragile biodiversity. A decree issued issued by the Royal Court established the ‘Jebel Akhdar Sanctuary for Natural Sceneries’.
The mountain figures into the route for the 2011 Tour of Oman
cycling race.
Al Hajar Mountains
The Hajjar Mountains in northeastern Oman and also the eastern United Arab Emirates are the highest mountain range in the eastern Arabian peninsula...
range in Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
, which extends about 300 km (186 mi) northwest to southeast, between 50-100 km (31-62 mi) inland from the Gulf of Oman
Gulf of Oman
The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman is a strait that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It is generally included as a branch of the Persian Gulf, not as an arm of the Arabian Sea. On the north coast is Pakistan and Iran...
coast. It is one of Oman’s most spectacular areas. The highest point, Jabal Shams (the mountain of the sun), is around 3,000 metres (around 9,800 feet) high. It is the highest point in Oman and the whole of eastern Arabia
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...
. It comprises the central section of the Al Hajar Mountains
Al Hajar Mountains
The Hajjar Mountains in northeastern Oman and also the eastern United Arab Emirates are the highest mountain range in the eastern Arabian peninsula...
range, and is located around 150 km (93 mi) from Muscat
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
.
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
, but at higher altitudes it receives around 300 mm (12 in) of precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
annually, moist enough to allow the growth of shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s and tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s and support agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. It is this that gives the mountains their 'green' name. Cool summers provide the visitor with fresh air surrounded by breathtaking stones. The area is about 2 hours drive from Nizwa and is famous for its traditional rose water extraction and agricultural products including pomegranate
Pomegranate
The pomegranate , Punica granatum, is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing between five and eight meters tall.Native to the area of modern day Iran, the pomegranate has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times. From there it spread to Asian areas such as the Caucasus as...
, apricot
Apricot
The apricot, Prunus armeniaca, is a species of Prunus, classified with the plum in the subgenus Prunus. The native range is somewhat uncertain due to its extensive prehistoric cultivation.- Description :...
, peach
Peach
The peach tree is a deciduous tree growing to tall and 6 in. in diameter, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach...
and walnut
Walnut
Juglans is a plant genus of the family Juglandaceae, the seeds of which are known as walnuts. They are deciduous trees, 10–40 meters tall , with pinnate leaves 200–900 millimetres long , with 5–25 leaflets; the shoots have chambered pith, a character shared with the wingnuts , but not the hickories...
. The Jebel is mostly inhabited by the ancient Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
tribe Bani Riyam (al Riyamy) Pop.( approx. 14,000 ). However most descendants of the tribe are now in nearby towns Such as Nizwa
Nizwa
-Attractions:The main tourist attractions in the city are Nizwa Fort, the traditional Souq and Falaj Daris. In the 1990s, the Jama, the fort and the souq which sit next to each other in the centre were renovated using the same traditional materials...
, Izki and some inhabit Ibra
Ibra
Ibra is the second largest city in the Ash Sharqiyah Region of Oman. It is located about 140 km from Muscat and has a population estimated at 35,000 people....
.
The Jebel Akhdar was the scene for a conflict
Jebel Akhdar War
Jebel Akhdar War or Jebel Akhdar rebellion erupted in 1954 and again in 1957 in the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, led by the Ibadi sect and their Imam Ghalib Bin Ali, against the Sultan Said bin Taimur...
between Omani forces loyal to the Sultan of Oman
Sultan of Oman
-List of Imams :-Nabhan Dynasty :-Ya'ariba Dynasty :-Banu Ghafir Dynasty :-Ya'ariba Dynasty :-Al Said Dynasty :-See also:...
(aided by British soldiers including the Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
) and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
n backed rebel forces of the inland Imamate of Oman between 1957 and 1959. This conflict is known as the Jebel Akhdar War
Jebel Akhdar War
Jebel Akhdar War or Jebel Akhdar rebellion erupted in 1954 and again in 1957 in the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, led by the Ibadi sect and their Imam Ghalib Bin Ali, against the Sultan Said bin Taimur...
.
In August 2011, Sultan Qaboos designated Jebel Akhdar a nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
in a bid to conserve its unique yet fragile biodiversity. A decree issued issued by the Royal Court established the ‘Jebel Akhdar Sanctuary for Natural Sceneries’.
The mountain figures into the route for the 2011 Tour of Oman
Tour of Oman
The Tour of Oman is a road bicycle race race held in Oman and is part of the UCI Asia Tour. The race is classified as a 2.1. The race is run by the A.S.O., and was held for the first time between 14 and 19 February 2010. The race is a men's competition consisting of six stages...
cycling race.
See also
External links
- Article by Nizwa.NET
- Oman’s Rose Water in Jebel Akhdar
- flickr images
- Photos of the region (spam)
- SAS action during the Jebel Akhdar war
- http://search.pbase.com/search?q=Jebel+Akhdar&b=Search+Photos&c=sp
- http://search.pbase.com/search?q=jabal+akhdar&b=Search+Photos&c=sp
- http://web.archive.org/web/20091027100718/http://geocities.com/suonnoch/Oman/JabalalAkhdar.htm
- http://www.hardfietsen.nl/nl/cols/2632/jabal-ak-akhdhar-green-mountain/
- http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/oman/oman-s-green-mountain-declared-nature-reserve-1.853208