Quick Facts
- Arabic:
- Bādiyat Al-Shām
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Syrian Desert
The Syrian Desert extends northward from the Arabian Peninsula over much of northern Saudi Arabia, eastern Jordan, southern Syria, and western Iraq.
Syrian Desert
desert, Middle East
Also known as: Bādiyat Al-Shām, North Arabian Desert
Syrian Desert, arid wasteland of southwestern Asia, extending northward from the Arabian Peninsula over much of northern Saudi Arabia, eastern Jordan, southern Syria, and western Iraq. Receiving on the average less than 5 inches (125 mm) of rainfall annually and largely covered by lava flows, it formed a nearly impenetrable barrier between the populated areas of the Levant and Mesopotamia until modern times; several major motor routes and oil pipelines now bisect it. In the late 1970s, there was much oil exploration. The desert, the southern sector of which is commonly known as Al-Ḥammād, is inhabited by several nomadic tribes and breeders of Arabian horses.
This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.
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