The
Western Desert includes the most extensive of all natural regions in Egypt. The other three being the Eastern Desert, the Sinai peninsula
and the Nile Valley and the desert. The Western Desert occupies two-third of the total land area. It is different from the other desert regions of Egypt in the grounds of its soil composition and the formation method of the soil. The Western Desert region is characterized by its noticeable depth. The depth of some depressions goes down even more than a hundred feet below the sea level. The region is arid and dry and experiences an extreme harsh climate throughout the year. Being bordered on the west by the Sahara desert, the dryness and the heat is even more accentuated in the region. The desert also experiences an extreme dearth of rainfall. And it is not surprising if it rains only once in five or even ten years.
The Oases Regions & Depressions of Western Desert
Life, in the
Western Desert region, if any, is concentrated around the oases that are the only means of relief in this arid land. The depressions are caused by strong desert winds and sand storms. The five depressions, which are among the largest, include Baharia, Siwa, Farafra, Kharga and Dachla. The Siwa region accounts for maximum population among all regions of the Western Desert. The famous oases in the Western Desert are the Al-Dakhilah, Al- Kharijah, Al Bahriah and Al Dakhilah. There is yet another depression, the Quattara depression, which remains uninhabited till this day because of harsh weather conditions.
