West Zakhara was a giant peninsula that contained the arid plateau of the High Desert, populated by nomadic tribes, in the north, and the wealthy Pearl Cities, centers of trade, in the south.
Geography
The only land connection to the rest of the Land of Fate lay towards the north, where the edge of the Mountains of the Lizard's Tongue met the area around Qudra. Otherwise, west Zakhara was surrounded by water: the Great Sea with the mysterious land of Akota to the west, the Crowded Sea with the archipelagos of Al-Sartan and Nada al-Hazan to the south and southeast. Towards interior Zakhara, the Golden Gulf and the Cities of the Pantheon beyond lay to the east, Suq Bay and the Cities of the Heart to the northeast. Al-Tariq Channel and the Sea of Caravans were the waters to the north.
Except at the Cities of the Pearl, the borders of west Zakhara were made even more pronounced by a series of elevations, Al-Suqut Mountains, the Mountains of the Lizard's Tongue, the Spine of the Dog, and a long ridges of hills along Suq Bay.
High Desert
One of Zakhara's two large deserts, the High Desert provided enough vegetation for a number of Al-Hadhar tribes to raise their livestock, though they had to stick to oases and wells during the height of summer. The central Genies' Anvil was forbidding even for these hardy nomads, it was the domain of a tribe of jann.
Pearl Cities
Beyond the Range of the Marching Camels to the south lay the Cities of the Pearl along the western shores of the Golden Gulf and the Crowded Sea. Trade, mainly in luxury goods, was paramount here, giving rise to many rich merchants but also leaving large parts of their population pennyless.
Ajayib
The young City of Wonders, at the mouth of Al-Malja River, had a frontier location and attitude as the westernmost of the Pearl Cities. It's wealth was based on growing and trading coffee and other luxury products.
Gana
The City of Riches, located where Al-Sabiya River flows into Gana Bay, is indeed rich from their produce of pearls and frankincense. It is also famous for the Festival of the Pearl, raucously celebrated each year.
Jumlat
The crowded City of Multitudes, at the mouth of Al-Fatir River, depended heavily on pearl diving for its income. Only a small class reaped the profits, leaving many of the inhabitants in poverty.
Sikak
The City of Coins, at the mouth of Al-Nuhas River, gained its wealth by fishing the teeming sea between its mainland coast and Maribar Island. Its people were informal as far as appearences were concerned, but distrustful of foreigners.
Tajar
The City of Trade, at the mouth of Al-Adib River, lay at the crossroads of a number of different areas of Zakhara, and haggling and trade of the widest variety of goods defined the life of its inhabitants.