Final answer:
Few early people settled in the Arabian Peninsula due to its harsh climate, lack of water and resources, and presence of hostile tribes. Settlements required engineering to harness scarce water resources, which only allowed for limited agriculture.
Step-by-step explanation:
Early settlement in the Arabian Peninsula was challenging for several reasons. Among the difficulties encountered by early peoples were: (a) Harsh climate, with arid type B climates dominating and extremely high summer temperatures, (b) Lack of resources, particularly scarcity of water and cultivable land, and (c) Hostile tribes, which could complicate efforts to establish a settlement. The Arabian Peninsula's desert environment and low precipitation levels made it difficult for large populations to sustain themselves.
Contrary to the option suggesting an 'abundance of water,' the region historically lacked consistent rainfall, which is crucial for permanent settlements and agriculture. However, when water was harnessed through feats of engineering like dams and irrigation systems, settlement became more tenable, as seen in some ancient farming communities in Arabia that cultivated crops such as date-palms, olives, and wheat.