Arabia is the name given to a vast region, covering over 1,200,000 square miles, of the Middle East . It's generally considered to be the area bounded on the south by the Indian Ocean, on the east by the Persian Gulf and the Euphrates River, on the west by the Isthmus of Suez and the Red Sea, and on the north by Syria and Mesopotamia.

In ancient times, Arabia was composed of three sections:

• Arabia Felix, a large area between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

• Arabia Deserta, the el-Badieh or "Great Wilderness," from which the nomadic tribes of this region derive their name, the "Bedaween," or "Bedouin."

• Arabia Petraea, the Rocky Arabia, named for its rocky mountains and stony plains.

In modern times, Ariabia is composed of:

• Arabia Proper, or the Arabian Peninsula.

• Northern Arabia, or the Arabian Desert.

• Western Arabia, including the Sinai Peninsula and the Desert of Petra. It was originally inhabited by the Horites (Genesis 14:6), but later by descendants of Esau when it became known as the Land of Edom or Idumea, and also as the Desert of Seir or Mount Seir.