Wadi Rum

The Wadi Rum (Arabic وادي رم, DMG Wādī Ramm, also Wadi Ram ) is the largest wadi in Jordan. Its cliffs are made of sandstone and granite. As a reserve with an area of ​​74,000 hectares, it was inscribed on the World Heritage List of UNESCO in 2011.

Geography

Wadi Rum is located east of the city of Aqaba, south of the city of Ma'an and lying parallel to the west Aravasenke. The wadi is an area with a length of about 100 kilometers and a width of about 60 kilometers. It is about 800 meters above sea level, with the highest elevations of the Jebel To Adaami of 1,832 meters and the Jabal Rum with 1754 meters are.

Rainfall is from October to March, with January with about 50 mm of rainfall is the wettest. In winter, temperatures can drop to an average of just above 0 ° C and in summer it can reach temperatures of up to an average of 34 ° C.

Geology

The landscape was created about 30 million years ago. Due to geological faults a huge crack that the Jordan Rift Valley, the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea has created next to the Wadi Rum was born. Was due to erosion of red sandstone, which stands on a base of basalt or granite, honed to the now visible bizarre shapes. Single out Here, the rock bridges over the Jabal Burdah and the Jabal Kahraz which lie about 30 kilometers north of the village of Rum.

Due to the numerous water sources since the Stone Age was possible a continuous colonization. The rainwater that falls in winter, can pass through the porous sandstone, is stopped by the water impermeable layer of granite and penetrates at various points again.

History

The Wadi Rum has been inhabited since prehistoric times by many cultures. They left their traces in the form of rock carvings and temples. Wadi Rum is best known for the book The Seven Pillars of Wisdom of the British officer, Thomas Edward Lawrence, who was stationed here during the Great Arab Revolt 1917-1918, and later even more by the film Lawrence of Arabia.

Population

In the village of Wadi Rum Bedouin live several hundred, some in tents, some in concrete houses. There is ever a boy and a girl's school, several shops and a station the police.

Tourism

The Wadi Rum is one of the major tourist destinations in Jordan. Popular is spending the night under the stars, riding with Arabian horses and hiking and mountain climbing in the massive rock formations. Climbers are especially attracted by its granite and sandstone formations, hikers, however, enjoy the silence. This tourist activities are the main source of income of the Bedouins.