Dashti Margo
Encyclopedia
Dashti Margo Dasht-e Mārgow, Dasht-e Margoh, lit. "Desert of Death" is a desert
region in the southern provinces of Helmand
and Nimruz
in Afghanistan
. The desert is adjacent to the Khash Desert and Registan Desert
. The area is about 150,000 km2; the elevation is some 500–700 m. The desert consists mainly of sand masses and rocky-clayish plains with solonchaks, takirs
, and rare oases. Dasht means desert
in Dari and margo means "death," hence, Desert of Death.
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
region in the southern provinces of Helmand
Helmand Province
Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
and Nimruz
Nimruz Province
Nimruz is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, in the south-west of the country on the borders of Iran and Pakistan. The name Nimruz means "mid-day" or "half-day" in Persian. Nimruz covers 41,000 km² and has a population of 149,000...
in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. The desert is adjacent to the Khash Desert and Registan Desert
Registan Desert
The Registan Desert is an extremely arid plateau region located between Helmand and Kandahar provinces in southwestern Afghanistan. It is a sandy desert consisting of small, red sandhills about 50 to high, sand covered planes, and open rocky and clay areas. It is sparsely populated by Baluchi and...
. The area is about 150,000 km2; the elevation is some 500–700 m. The desert consists mainly of sand masses and rocky-clayish plains with solonchaks, takirs
Takir (soil)
Takir is a type of relief occurring in the deserts of Central Asia, similar to a salt flat in the southwestern United States.A takyr is usually formed in a shallow depressed area with a heavy clay soil, which is submerged by water after seasonal rains. After the water evaporates, a dried crust...
, and rare oases. Dasht means desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
in Dari and margo means "death," hence, Desert of Death.