Mangroves of the UAE is part of the natural geography of the United Arab Emirates — terrain and habitat that sit between the Arabian interior and the Gulf coast, shaped by extreme heat, very low rainfall and long human use.
What it is
The UAE lies within an arid belt where summer temperatures routinely exceed 45 °C and annual rainfall is low and irregular. Landscapes here are therefore the product of wind, occasional torrential rain and centuries of grazing, water extraction and settlement — not of the slow river erosion familiar from temperate countries.
Ecology and protection
The environment supports species adapted to heat and salinity: ghaf and acacia woodland, halophytes such as samphire and mangrove, and wildlife including the Arabian oryx, gazelle and a large number of resident and migratory birds. Several areas are managed as protected reserves, and conservation work has brought species such as the oryx back from the brink within living memory.
Visiting responsibly
Access to natural areas is regulated in places. Visitors should stay on marked routes, carry more water than seems necessary, avoid the hottest hours, never enter dunes alone, and leave no waste. Desert driving requires a properly equipped vehicle, reduced tyre pressure and company.