Quick Facts
- Persian:
- Dasht-e Kavīr
- Also spelled:
- Dasht-i Kavīr
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Kavīr Desert
The Kavīr Desert is characterized by an almost rainless climate and quicksandlike salt marshes.
Kavīr Desert
desert, Iran
Also known as: Dasht-e Kavīr, Dasht-i Kavīr
Kavīr Desert, great salt desert of north-central Iran. Located in a basin southeast of the Elburz Mountains, it is approximately 240 miles (390 km) wide. The desert is distinguished by its salt crust, caused by the almost rainless climate and intense surface evaporation, lying over treacherous quicksandlike salt marshes that are almost uninhabited. Settlements are found only in the surrounding mountain ranges.
This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.
Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking āSign Upā, you consent to the Britannica
Privacy Policy
and
Terms of Use.