The Great Stretch of Sand :

This ecoregion is the largest on the Arabian Peninsula. It is a vast desert wilderness stretching from Yemen to the Arabian Gulf and from Oman to Jordan and Iraq. At 200,000 square miles (500,000 square kilometers), itâs one of the biggest continuous bodies of sand in the world. Gazelles, oryx, sand cats, and spiny-tailed lizards are just some of the desert-adapted species that survive in this extreme environment, which features everything from red dunes to deadly quicksand.





Includes most of Saudi Arabia, extending into the surrounding countries of Oman, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Egypt (Sinai), Iraq, Jordan, and Syria Deserts and Xeric Shrublands



714,800 square miles (1,851,300 square kilometers) -- about the size of Alaska and Montana combined Critical/Endangered


You might think that the world's largest body of sand would be a hum-drum landscape. But this ecoregion holds more than a few surprises. Stretching across one part of the region is a 480 mile (800 km) arc of limestone cliffs, plateaus, and canyons called the Tuwayq escarpment, which has been sculpted by the wind and sand. The Rub' al-Khali desert features a variety of dunes, including colossal dune mountains colored an incredible orange-red by iron oxide. Elsewhere in the ecoregion are the famous quicksands of Umm al Samim, and an isolated sea of sand on the coast of Oman. Needless to say, most of this region is extremely dry. Temperatures oscillate between extreme heat and seasonal nighttime freezes.


Although vegetation is extremely sparse in this ecoregion, and trees are limited to just a few areas, many animals make it their home. Hoofed animals of the region include Arabian tahrs, Nubian ibex, sand gazelles, mountain gazelles, Arabian oryx, and Arabian gazelles. Striped hyenas, red foxes, Arabian wolves, and sand cats are among the region's carnivores. Small rodent-like mammals called jerboas jump across the sand. Houbara bustards fly overhead and greater flamingos recently began breeding in Abu Dhabi for the first time since 1922. After a rain, you may see a sudden explosion of wildflowers carpeting the ground. And you might even spy a crustacean that lies dormant for years until a rainstorm causes it to hatch, molt, and grow to full size in the space of several days!


Poaching of wildlife, overgrazing by livestock, and damage to vegetation caused by off-road driving are the greatest threats to this region's biodiversity. Agricultural projects, oil and gas surveys, and roads are also potential threats.
For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.All text by World Wildlife Fund © 2001