The ultimate guide to Abu Dhabi's Empty Quarter. Find Adventures in the Empty Quarter. Experience The Extraordinary In Liwa Camping.

1. The Empty Quarter
The Empty Quarter desert's fine golden and red sands shift with the winds to
form dunes hundreds of feet high and visible as far as the eye can see.

2. Why is it called the Empty Quarter?
The Empty Quarter is the direct translation of the Arabic word Rub' Al Khali, which is
the original name of this massive desert area. The name was given due to its
continuous and expansive nature.

3. What is the Empty Quarter famous for?
The Empty Quarter, or 'Rub Al Khali' in Arabic, is the world's largest sand desert that
so intrigued the likes of Lawrence of Arabia and the explorer Wilfred Thesiger. It
stretches across vast swaths of Arabia, including the south western corner of
Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates.
The place is known for its great sand dunes and a ride through those hilly dunes,
finally reaching 'Tal Moreeb' which in English means 'Moreeb Dune', one of the
highest in the Middle East region. Also LIWA is famous for its Dates festival.

4. Who lives in the Empty Quarter?
About 80 percent of it lies in Saudi Arabia, while its eastern edges extend to the
United Arab Emirates, and its southern border is in Oman. Parts of its southern and
southwestern limits lie in Yemen. Though its name suggests that no one lives there,
many tribes have lived and still inhabit the region.

5. Weather in the Empty Quarter
The region is classified as “hyper-arid”, which means that it lacks water for the
growth of plants or survival of animals. Rainfall is less than 3 cm (1.2 in) every year.
The daily temperatures are between 47 °C (117 °F) and 51 °C (124 °F).

6. How big is the Empty Quarter?
The Arabian Peninsula's Empty Quarter, known as Rub' al Khali, is the world's
largest sand sea, holding about half as much sand as the Sahara Desert. The Empty
Quarter covers 583,000 square kilometers (225,000 square miles), and stretches
over parts of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
The Empty Quarter is a magnificent sea of dunes that has been untouched by
mankind.

7. Can you visit the Rub al Khali desert?
Overnight desert safari on request; all camping equipment, breakfast, lunch, dinner
included. Liwa days tours and Liwa overnight camping in Rub Al Khali gives you
chance to discover the best parts of Rub Al khali and to understand the Bedouins
life. We also provide fixed camp for special request.

8. Does anyone live in the Empty Quarter?
Although the region includes a few towns, not many people live in the Empty
Quarter because of the intense heat and scarce water. Sand dunes themselves
present challenges, impeding the movement of people and vehicles.
In the sandy terrain of the United Arab Emirates, on the northern edge of the Rub' al
Khali, an oasis brings green to the desert. The T-shaped, 100-kilometer stretch of
date plantations and small towns comprise the Liwa Oasis, home to about 20,000
people in Abu Dhabi.

9. What is the difference between oasis and
desert?
An oasis is an small patch of vegetation surrounded by desert. Communities have
traditionally planted strong trees, such as palms, around the perimeter of oases to
keep the desert sands from their delicate crops and water. An oasis is an area
made fertile by a source of freshwater in an otherwise dry and arid region.