Complete Guide to Rub Al Khali Desert

Have you ever heard of the uninterrupted Desert of all time? Well, if you have not, UAE has one! We, at this moment, present all the facts about the Rub Al Khali Desert.

Facts about Rub Al Khali Desert

This Arabian Desert is called Rub al Khali, meaning Empty Quarter. It is popularly known as the vast desert region in the southern Arabian Peninsula, constituting the largest area of about 250,000 square miles or 650,000 square km.

There are scarcely about 37 species that geologists have identified, many of which are perennial. Around the western region, the elevation is as high as 2,000 feet (610 metres) above sea level; the sand around this elevation is delicate and soft. In contrast, in the east, the height stoops down to about 600 feet (180 metres), consisting of dunes, salt flats, and sand sheets. It is popularly known for its vast reserves of petroleum beneath its sands. Around the east of Riyadh, the Al-Ghawār field contains tens of billions of barrels of oil, which came to be known as the world’s largest oil field discovered around the Northeastern part of the Desert. The southeastern area of UAE and Oman has vast refinery operations and sizeable natural gas reserves in Al Shaybah.

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Water Bodies near the Rub al Khali location

Saudi Arabian geologists did an extensive study three years ago, aiming to explore water resources in Rub’ al Khali. There were two types of water, including water near the surfaces that evaporated briefly. The other kind of water is located in deep geological formations of Rub al Khali comprising deep spring water as old as 10,000 years ago found at the 4km deep hollow of the earth. Rain in this region is abundant as it is located at 500 kilometres distance from the city of Harb. It is known to be non-renewable groundwater or deep water.

Rub al Khali map can be challenging to locate as it is spread across the Middle East, mainly in southeastern Saudi Arabia, with lesser portions of the sand Desert covered in the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen.

This sand Desert was named Rub al Khali owing to its vast stretch of unbroken sand desert that has survived for thousands of years. The Empty Quarter has also earned the title of the most immense uninterrupted Desert on Earth! Interestingly, Rub al Khali is forty thousand square miles larger than the country of France! Rub al Khali's location has become the most daunting and inhospitable dwelling place. This is why there are few places around the Desert to build a town or an area of dwelling. However, despite that, it has become a popular tourist spot and attraction for adventurous travellers and nature lovers!

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Lost city of Rub Al Khali Desert

For centuries now, traders and travellers have made an adventurous trek across the Rub al Khali in search of treasures and riches of the Arabian heritage. However, throughout history, the vast expanses of the sand desert have never had a permanent presence of human dwellers. An eerie discovery follows a prevalent legend: a particular city was lost within the sands of the Empty Quarter. The Rub al Khali lost city became known as the ‘Atlantis of Sand’ as many archaeologists have searched for it, but no one has ever found that lost city. Although, many are still on the lookout for the signs of the civilization lost and swallowed by the largest sand desert.

Only a few peaceful and quiet places like the Rub al Khali Desert are left in this world. The experience of this Arabian Desert is unlike any other; it almost feels as if you have travelled to some other part of the world that is untouched by human intervention and is far away from the world you know of. It is considered to be the best outdoor experience for any camper. The beautiful sightseeing of clear skies and nights full of stars and moonlight under the cold breeze is the most treasured experience ever.

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