Mysterious Empty Desert of Saudi Arabia

The Empty Quarter, or Rub’ al Khali, is the world’s largest continuous sand desert, covering parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, and Yemen. Spanning approximately 650,000 square kilometers, it features towering reddish-orange dunes, some reaching 250 meters, set against gravel and gypsum plains. These dunes maintain their shape due to moisture from underlying salt flats. Known for its extreme heat, with temperatures exceeding 50°C, the desert has a rich history of ancient human activity, including relics from the ‘People of Ad’ and the fabled city of ‘Iram’. Geologically, it sits in a sedimentary basin on the Arabian Plate, with oil reserves hinting at its lush past. Monsoon rains occasionally transform parts of this arid expanse into temporary lakes, adding to its mystique.

Original price was: 15.00$.Current price is: 8.00$.

Product description & Reviews

The Empty Quarter, also known as Rub’ al Khali, is a vast desert that forms a significant part of the Arabian Peninsula, encompassing areas of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

It is recognized as the largest continuous sand desert in the world, with an area of approximately 650,000 square kilometers, which is roughly the size of France. The desert’s terrain is characterized by reddish-orange dunes, some of which reach up to 250 meters in height, interspersed with gravel and gypsum plains. These dunes are stable structures, their shapes preserved by the moisture that seeps up from the underlying sabkhas, or salt flats, despite the sand blowing off their surfaces.

The Empty Quarter is not only a place of extreme aridity but also of extreme temperatures, with summer readings soaring above 50°C. Despite these harsh conditions, the desert holds a rich history of human activity dating back thousands of years. Evidence of past civilizations includes chipped flint tools, and the region is believed to be the homeland of the ‘People of Ad’, with the legendary city of ‘Iram’ said to be buried beneath its sands. The desert’s name, ‘Empty Quarter’, is derived from its vast, uninhabited expanses, making up about one-quarter of the Arabian Peninsula and being largely devoid of permanent human settlements.

 

Geologically, the Empty Quarter is a low sedimentary basin within the Arabian Geological Plate, formed during the Cenozoic era. It is believed that the waters of the Arabian Gulf once covered this area, which over millions of years receded, leaving behind the sandy soil that characterizes the desert today. The Empty Quarter also holds significant oil reserves, a remnant of its past as a tropical rainforest, evidenced by fossils of hippos, water buffalo, and long-horned cattle found in the region.

The desert’s climate is influenced by the monsoon rains, which in the past have led to the formation of shallow lakes, supporting a variety of flora and fauna. These lakes, however, were transient, lasting only a few years, although some evidence suggests they could have persisted for up to 800 years in certain areas. Today, the Empty Quarter’s environment is one of the driest and hottest regions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, receiving less than fifty millimeters of annual rainfall.

In summary, the Empty Quarter is a desert of superlatives: the largest sand sea, one of the hottest places on Earth, and a region rich in geological and historical significance. Its daunting landscape continues to captivate explorers, scientists, and historians alike, offering a glimpse into the Earth’s geological past and the resilience of life in one of the most inhospitable places on the planet.

The Empty Quarter, known as Rub’ al Khali, is a vast desert that spans parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. This region is one of the most inhospitable places on Earth, characterized by its extreme aridity and temperatures that can soar above 50°C in the summer. Despite these harsh conditions, there is evidence of past human activity dating back thousands of years. The desert’s name, ‘Empty Quarter’, reflects its sparse population and the challenges it poses for sustained habitation. However, archaeological findings suggest that during more temperate and wet periods, the Empty Quarter hosted a variety of flora and fauna, as well as human civilizations.

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Be the first to review “Mysterious Empty Desert of Saudi Arabia”

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Products

Shopping Cart
  • Your cart is empty.
Review Your Cart
0
Add Coupon Code
Subtotal

 
Scroll to Top