Nafūd, An-

▪ desert, Saudi Arabia

      desert, northern Saudi Arabia, covering about 25,000 square miles (64,000 square km). The reddish, sandy An-Nafūd (Arabic: “The Desert”) is sometimes called the Great Nafud; it lies at an elevation of 3,000 feet (900 m) and has some watering places and grass that provide for nomadic herding and agriculture. The desert has been a barrier to travel for ages; its frequent sandstorms shape immense dunes. A historic caravan route runs from northwest to southeast connecting the oases of Al-Jawf with those of Ḥāʾil.

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