Deserts occur between 15-35 degrees north and south latitude where evaporation exceeds rainfall. The soil is usually sandy or rocky with shallow drainage and no subsurface water. Vegetation consists mainly of shrubs and small trees with leaves adapted to retain water. Saudi Arabia covers over 2 million square kilometers of land in the Arabian Peninsula, containing a variety of desert habitats like the Great Nafud in the north with red sands and the Rub al-Khali or Empty Quarter in the south known for its extreme climate.

2. • Deserts are caused by extremely low rainfall over an area.
•Evaporation exceeds rainfall.
•Evaporation and temperature are both high.
•The soil is usually either sand or coarse, and rocky.
•Occur in 2 distinct belts between 15-35° North and south latitude
•Soils are course-textured, shallow, rocky or gravely with good
drainage and have no subsurface water.
•Vegetation consists mainly of shrubs and small trees of which
the leaves have evolved to retain water.

4. • Saudi Arabia is a quadrilateral land
mass, occupying a major part of the
Arabian Peninsula.
• It covers an area of about 2,250,000
sq. km. The vast landscape is
composed of a variety of
habitats such as:
• Mountains, Valleys (Wadis), sandy
and rocky deserts, meadows
(Raudhahs), salt pans (Sabkhahs)
and lava areas (Harrats), etc.

5. The Great
Nafud, in the
northern part of
the country
with red
stained sands.
The Rub al-
Khali or the
Empty Quarter,
with its extreme
climate, in the
southern and
southeastern
part of the
country.
The previous
deserts are
connected by
an arch-
shaped sand-
body called
Dahna. It is
narrow strip
of desert