Image:Qatar January 31, 2003.jpg

Qatar

This true-color Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image from January 31, 2003, featuresthe Persian Gulf in the Middle East. Seven countries sit on the Gulf(clockwise from top right): Iran, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, SaudiArabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq. In addition to the tip of the peninsulareaching toward Iran, Oman also stretches to the southeast along the Gulfof Oman (bottom right corner).

The Persian Gulf, officially known as The Gulf, features clouds ofblue and green in its dark waters. These clouds likely indicate a mixtureof sediment and microscopic marine plant life. At the top of The Gulf,where Kuwait, Iraq, and Iran meet, two rivers flow into the Gulf and addtan streaks to the water. These rivers are the Euphrates and the Tigris,the source of the Fertile Crescent valley and between which the ancientMesopotamian civilization flourished.

A number of fires were detected in this scene by MODIS and are markedin red. They are concentrated in southern Iraq and western Iran. The onesin southern Iraq are likely associated with oil wells. Snow can also beseen blanketing the Zagros Mountains of Iran at the upper center of theimage.

http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=4981

This file is in the public domain because it was created by NASA. NASA copyright policy states that "NASA material is not protected by copyright unless noted". (NASA copyright policy page or JPL Image Use Policy). Deutsch | English | Español | Français | Nederlands | Português | Русский | ‪中文(简体)‬ | ‪中文(繁體)‬ | +/-

Warnings: Use of NASA logos, insignia and emblems are restricted per US law 14 CFR 1221. The NASA website hosts a large number of images from the Soviet/Russian space agency, and other non-American space agencies. These are not necessarily in the public domain. Materials from the Hubble Space Telescope may be copyrighted if they do not explicitly come from the STScI. [1] All materials created by the SOHO probe are copyrighted and require permission for commercial non-educational use. [2] Images featured on the Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) web site may be copyrighted. [3]

• Geography of Qatar