Syrian Desert

A desert region of northern Arabia occupying northern Saudi Arabia, western Iraq, southeast Syria, and eastern Jordan. It is crossed by a number of oil pipelines.

For more information on Syrian Desert, visit Britannica.com.

A huge stretch of mostly barren land covering parts of four countries: Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.

Known in Arabic as Badiyat al-Sham after the nomadic bedouin (Badu, hence Badiya) who roam its parts in search of pasture, it is also known as the Greater Badiyat al-Sham (Badiyat al-Sham al-Kubra) because it extends between the desert of al-Nufud on the Arabian peninsula and the Euphrates river. Badiyat al-Sham covers about two-thirds - about 52,000 square miles (130,000 sq. km) - of the overall area of Syria. It is divided into two parts: the first, in the northeast, is called Badiyat al-Jazira, and the second, in the southeast, is called alShamiyya or Badiyat al-Sham, that is, the Syrian desert. This desert begins at the Syro-Jordanian border, skirts the frontier of settlement toward the north at a line east of Jabal Druze, al-Ghuta oasis of Damascus and its marj (meadow), then up along the Qalamun mountains, then east of al-Jabbul, the finally ends at Meskene on the Euphrates.

The Syrian desert, in turn, is divided into two parts, which differ in their surface structure. The first, a plateau in the southwest, is more elevated than the other part and also much drier. The part to the northeast starts at lower elevation in the south - 2,208 feet (673 m) - and ends at 623 feet (190 m) in the north. This part is dry and has dry river channels (wadis) exposed to flooding. These wadis range in length from 93 to 186 miles (150 - 300 km) and in width from 0.3 to 0.6 miles (0.5 to 1 km). Annual precipitation in the Syrian desert does not exceed 5.85 inches (150 mm).

The few plants and animals of the Syrian desert are of the type that can withstand a subtropical climate. The nomads raise sheep and camels, and they move according to the seasons, from one region to the other across political frontiers seeking pasture. Phosphates, oil, and butane gas have been discovered in this desert, and modern network of roads and railways makes the exploitation of the desert much easier than before.

— ABDUL-KARIM RAFEQ

Syrian Desert by NASA World Wind

The Syrian Desert (Arabic: بادية الشام, bādiyat ash-shām‎), also known as the Syro-Arabian desert is a combination of steppe and true desert that is located in the northern Arabian Peninsula.^[1] It is part of the Al-Hamad,^[2] which covers portions of Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Its border on the west is the Orontes Valley, and its border on the east is the Euphrates. In the north, the desert gives way to the more fertile areas of north-central Syria. In the south, it runs into the deserts of the southern Arabian Peninsula. Many oases exist in the Syrian Desert such as Palmyra. Damascus is also located on an oasis. The desert's remarkable landscape was formed by lava flows from the volcanic region of the Jebel Druze in southern Syria. The desert was historically inhabited by bedouin tribes, and many tribes still remain in the region, their members living mainly in towns and settlements built near oases. Some bedouin still maintain their traditional way of life in the desert. The Syrian Desert is the origin of the Syrian hamster.

Safaitic inscriptions, proto-Arabic texts written by literate bedouin, are found throughout the Syrian Desert. These date approximately from the 1st century B.C. to the 4th century A.D.

Contents 1 Iraq War 2 See also 3 References 4 See also

Iraq War

During the 2003 Iraq War the desert served as a major supply line for the Iraqi insurgents, with the Iraq portion of the desert becoming a primary stronghold of the Sunni insurgents operating in the Al Anbar Governorate. Particularly after the Coalition capture of Fallujah during Operation Phantom Fury. A series of Coalition military operations were relatively ineffective at removing the insurgent presence in the Desert. However as the insurgents began to gain control of the surrounding areas the importance of the Syrian desert as a center of operations was believed to have lessened. By September 2006 insurgents had gained control of virtually all of the Anbar Governorate and had moved most of their forces equipment and leaders further east to insurgent controlled cities near the Euphrates river, nevertheless the Syrian Desert remains one of the primary routes for smuggling equipment due to its location near the Syrian border. ^{[3][4][5][6][7]}

See also

• Fertile Crescent

References

1. ^ Syrian Desert, New International Encyclopedia, Edition 2, Published by Dodd, Mead, 1914, Arabia, page 795 and Syrian Desert, Encarta
2. ^ Britannica entry Al-Hamad
3. ^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15362568/
4. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/29/AR2006052901172_pf.html
5. ^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13039231/
6. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/10/AR2006091001204.html?nav=rss_email/components
7. ^ http://www.freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=20468

See also

• List of deserts by area

v • d • e Deserts Africa Bayuda Desert · Chalbi Desert · Danakil Desert · Eastern Desert · Ferio Desert · Kalahari Desert · Libyan Desert · Namib Desert · Nubian Desert · Nyiri Desert · Richtersveld · Sahara · Ténéré · White Desert Antarctica Antarctica Asia Aral Karakum · Aralkum · Badain Jaran Desert · Betpak-Dala · Dzoosotoyn Elisen Desert · Gobi Desert · Hami Desert · Indus Valley Desert · Karakum Desert · Kharan Desert · Kumtag Desert · Kum-tagh Desert · Kyzyl Kum · Lop Desert · Ordos Desert · Qaidam · Registan Desert · Saryesik-Atyrau Desert · Taklamakan Desert · Tengger Desert · Thal Desert · Thar-Cholistan Desert · Ustyurt Plateau Australia Gibson Desert · Great Sandy Desert · Great Victoria Desert · Little Sandy Desert · Nullarbor Plain · Painted Desert · Pedirka Desert · Simpson Desert · Strzelecki Desert · Sturt's Stony Desert · Tanami Desert · Tirari Desert Europe Accona Desert · Bardenas Reales · Błędów Desert · Cabo de Gata · Deliblatska Peščara · Hálendi · Oleshky Sands · Oltenian Sahara · Ryn Desert · Tabernas Desert Middle East Ad-Dahna Desert · Arabian Desert · Dasht-e Kavir · Dasht-e Lut · Dasht-e Margoh · Dasht-e Naomid · Judean Desert · Nefud  · Rub' al Khali · Negev · Syrian Desert · Tihamah · Wahiba Sands North America Alvord Desert · Amargosa Desert · Baja California Desert · Black Rock Desert · Carcross "Desert" · Channeled scablands · Chihuahuan Desert · Escalante Desert · Gran Desierto de Altar · Great Basin · Great Salt Lake Desert · Jornada del Muerto · Mojave Desert · Nk'mip "Desert" · Owyhee Desert · Painted Desert · Red Desert  · Sonoran Desert South America Atacama Desert · La Guajira Desert · Los Médanos de Coro  · Monte Desert · Patagonian Desert · Sechura Desert · Tatacoa Desert Oceania Kaʻū Desert · Rangipo "Desert" See also: List of deserts and List of deserts by area

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