Libyan Desert - Definition and Overview

The Great Libyan Desert is an African desert extending ~1,100 km (east to west) by ~1,000 km (north to south) for an area of ~1,100,000 km², approximately the size of the Indian subcontinent. This desert is primarily a gravel and boulder plain. The dominant wildlife are sand vipers and scorpions. The area is inhabited by the Senussi.

Key geographic features of the Libyan Desert

• The Qattara Depression
  • Which contains the second lowest point in Africa
• The Sand Seas
  • The three sand seas contain dunes up to 110m in height. These cover ~25% of the region.
  • Egyptian Sand Sea
  • Kalansho Sand Sea
  • Ribiana Sand Sea

See also

• Geography
  • Egypt
  • Libya

• History
  • World War II