Al Muhtarqah or Al Mihtarqah () Jāmiʻat al-Imārāt al-ʻArabīyah al-Muttaḥidah. Geoprojects (U.K.) Ltd., The National atlas of the United Arab Emirates, Al Ain : United Arab Emirates University - 1993 is a small agricultural and livestock town in the Emirate of Fujairah, northeastern U.A.E.
Toponymy Alternative names: Al Muḥtarqah (), Mahtarraqah, Muhtarqah, Mukhtaraja, Al Mihtarqah, Al Mihtaraqah, Muhtarraqah, Al Mihtirqah, Al Muhtarqah, Mukhtaraqah.
The name of Al Muhtarqah (spelled Mukhtaraqah), its wadis, mountains and nearby towns, were recorded in the documentation and maps produced between 1950 and 1960 by the British Arabist, cartographer, military officer and diplomat Julian F. Walker, during the work carried out to establish the borders between the then so-called Trucial States,FCO 18/1969 - 1959 - Sketch map drawn by Julian Walker for boundary delimitation: Dibba - The National Archives, London, England <https://www.agda.ae/en/catalogue/tna/fco/18/1969> later completed by the UK Ministry of Defence, with 1:100,000 scale maps published from 1971 onwards.Map FCO 18/1787 - 1972 - Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE): Dibba, with handwritten annotations - Scale 1:100,000 - Published by D Survey, Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom (1971) - Edition 3-GSGS - The National Archives, London, England <https://www.agda.ae/en/catalogue/tna/fco/18/1787>
In the National Atlas of the United Arab Emirates it appears as Al Miḥtarqah ().
Geography
The village is located near the sources of the Wadi Al Fay. It lies on the drainage divide, which separates the wadis that drain their waters into the Gulf of Oman, and those that drain into the Persian Gulf.
Adjacent to the village of Al Muhtarqah is the mountain pass of Al Qaliddi (Aqabat al Qaliddi),Mindat.org - ‘Aqabat al Qaliddī, Al Fujayrah, United Arab Emirates <https://www.mindat.org/feature-291190.html> an important crossing for caravans that followed the historic Qaliddi route, which connected the city of Ras Al Khaimah and other towns on the coast of the Persian Gulf to the city of Dibba on the coast of the Gulf of Oman,Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf. Vol. II. Geographical and Statistical. J. G. Lorimer. 1908', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C91/4, p. 1444, in Qatar Digital Library <http://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023515718.0x00009e> making it a strategic reference and supply point.
History
Historically, Al Muhtarqah relied on agriculture, animal husbandry, and honey collection, due to the abundance of wild beehives in the caves of the surrounding mountains. The region was, and still is, known for its numerous palm and fruit tree plantations, as well as its crops of wheat, millet, barley, corn, sorghum, and tobacco. Firewood was also collected and charcoal was produced.
Today, many former inhabitants of the Al Muhtarqah area have moved their permanent homes to the outskirts of Tawiyean (), but some old farms have been transformed into second homes, mainly occupied by younger generations wishing to maintain their roots and preserve their family heritage and ancestral traditions.
Population
The area around Al Miḥtarqah / Al Muhtarqah was populated mainly by the Sharqiyin tribe, a tribal section of Jamāmaḩah.Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf. Vol. II. Geographical and Statistical. J G Lorimer. 1908', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C91/4, pg. 1769, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023515720.0x00005d>Tribes of Trucial States coast - 1958- Ref. FO 371/132894 <https://www.agda.ae/index.php/en/catalogue/tna/fo/371/132894/n/96>
Archaeological remains in the vicinity of Al Muhtarqah and Wadi Al Fay indicate human presence in this area from very early times.Britton, Georgia. “An Archaeological Survey of Northern Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.” Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy - 2004. <:https://www.academia.edu/48243045/An_archaeological_survey_of_northern_Fujairah_United_Arab_Emirates>
See also Eastern Arabia List of wadis of the United Arab Emirates List of mountains in the United Arab Emirates List of wadis of Oman List of mountains in Oman
References
External links
Rehaab Al Dhanhani - Al Muhtarqah is one of the beautiful mountainous areas of the Emirate of Fujairah, 15-11-2017 منطقة المحترقة التابعة لإمارة الفجيرة (YouTube)