The sandy desert of Rub al-Khali, which in English is called the Empty quarter, that is, the "empty quarter", is located in the southern part of the United Arab Emirates. Rather, in the south is located only its small northern part, and the rest of the desert is located in Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest among the sandy deserts of the world (see the list below) and the largest in Eurasia. Sugar is not related to its relief and coating. It is very hot all year round: in summer, the air temperature reaches 50 degrees, and in winter does not drop below 30 degrees.
general characteristics
The Rub al-Khali desert occupies a third of the Arabian Peninsula. It is located in its southern part. Its area is six and a half hundred square kilometers. It also has a hot and dry climate. Precipitation here is less than 35 mm per year. It belongs to arid deserts. Rub al-Khali runs through the territories of not only the Emirates and Saudi Arabia, but also Yemen and Oman. After all, it is so vast that it occupies a good third (and not a quarter, as indicated in the name) of the Arabian Peninsula.
Geological structure
The sand dunes of Rub al-Khali represent a large "basin" that stretches from the northeast to the southwest and passes through the entire Arabian shelf. Under the red-orange and very fine sand are layers of gypsum and gravel. The height of the sand dunes in some places reaches 250 meters. The sand itself is mainly of silicate origin and consists of quartz (80-90%) and feldspar (8-9%). The grains of sand are covered with iron oxide, which stains them in a reddish-orange color.
History: Versions and Reality
After several studies of the desert by satellite were made, scientists suggested that in its place it was not always so deserted. According to American scientists, as early as 5 thousand years ago several eastern cities flourished here, and one of them was the same Ubar - the city of Thousand Pillars. By the way, the Rub al-Khali desert is not completely lifeless today, as it might seem at first glance. There is an assumption that under a thick carpet of sand a whole grid of rivers and streams is buried. There is another version: that on the site of the desert there was a network of lakes in which mammals lived (even hippos and buffaloes), as well as amphibians and reptiles. Traces of man were also found in the desert: tools that are 5 to 10 thousand years old. Unfortunately, archaeologists have never been able to find human remains.
Animal and plant life of the desert
Oases are those areas of deserts where greens can be found. Every student knows about this. In Rub al-Khali, there are several such places - Liva, Al Ain, El Jiva. The last of them is the most picturesque, it stretched for 50 km. However, these places do not shine with rich vegetation: you can mainly find hodgepodge and camel thorns. The animal world is also not very diverse. There is a desert park in Sharjah, and all the representatives of the wildlife of the sandy desert of Rub al-Khali are gathered here. It turns out that there are only about 100 species. These are camels, snakes, scorpions, lizards, dozens of species of rodents, such as jerboas, and others. However, the most interesting of the representatives of desert living creatures is the antelope baz. She has straight cone-shaped horns. This is a fairly large animal, its weight reaches 100 kilograms. In the daytime, animals are practically invisible. They hide because of the heat in cooler layers under the sand, but with the onset of night and coolness the desert comes to life noticeably.
How to drive up?
The Rub Al Khali Desert can be reached in several ways. The simplest of them is through the capital of the Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi. From there, you can drive to the sand dunes on a gorgeous six-lane motorway. It rests against the oasis of Liva located at the very edge of the desert. The second path also passes through the capital, but then keeps heading for Hamim and again approaches Liva. This road is more modest, as it has only two lanes for traffic, however, it is still well-groomed and comfortable. You will not find overloaded trucks here; a separate parallel road 50 meters away has been developed for them. But the third approach is the most interesting. It runs through El Ein and passes first along the border with Oman, then with Saudi Arabia, and only then through the desert goes to the oasis of Liva. This road is the southernmost. Here tourists are waiting for real adventures, which is why it is called the most interesting entrance to the Rub al-Khali desert.
Description
If you choose this last path, that is, through El Eina, you will need to travel about 400 kilometers to find yourself in the picturesque oasis of Liva. On the road, it is better to bring along more water and the required amount of food, although everything you need can be bought at gas stations. The last point on the way where you can refuel, is the village of Al Qua. The closer you get to your destination, the higher the dunes become, and the wilderness of the desert becomes poorer. Of the animals in the daytime, you can only see camels. However, it is still not a desert. Perhaps such a landscape can be seen in many parts of the United Arab Emirates and surrounding states. By the way, locals often deceive tourists by driving away from cities for 50 km and passing these places out of the desert. In order to get into it, you need to spend at least 3-4 hours in the car. The most exciting safari you can expect only in the real sandy desert of Rub al-Khali.
Natural resources
How can this sandy territory be interesting to the governments of four states - Oman, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Yemen? Of course, it’s difficult to draw a line between them. Nevertheless, each of these states does not want to yield to the other a single piece of this sand cake, because oil and gas reserves were found in it. In a word, the Rub al-Khali desert can be called gold-bearing.
