Approximately a quarter of Iran is covered by desert areas and the central desert is an important part of it. The Central Desert (Dasht-e Kavir) is one of the deserts of Iran, which has a large area, in the geographical range of 54.30 to 57 degrees east and 33.30 to 35.30 degrees north in the center of the Iranian plateau.
The plain is bounded on the north by the slopes of the eastern and central Alborz, on the south by the Khor-Tabas communication axis, and on the west by the Damghan-Jandagh and Rig Jan desert roads, and on the east by the Pir Hajat and Uzbek Kuh mountains. The central desert or plain is also known by other names such as: desert hole or salt desert, which is probably due to the fact that most of it is covered by swamps or large holes and in the west we see a salt lake.
It has an area of about 77,600 square kilometers, which makes it the 23rd largest desert in the world. This desert extends from the foothills of the Alborz Mountains in the northwest to the Lut Plain in the southwest and is divided between the provinces of Khorasan, Semnan, Tehran, Isfahan and Yazd. This plain is 800 km and its approximate width is 320 km. The average altitude of “Dasht-e-Kavir” is about 700 meters above sea level. Its lowest point, which is located in the central part of the plain, is 650 meters, and its highest point, north of Namak Khor and Biyabank, is about 838 meters high.
In the heart of this desert are deserts and protected areas such as Marvast, Damghan and Khartouran. This desert is called the thermal pole of Iran and its temperature reaches 50 degrees during the day in summer and between 25 to 30 degrees Celsius at night. In this plain, we see a significant increase in temperature during the day, so that sometimes even the temperature difference between day and night reaches 70 degrees Celsius, and this temperature difference causes rocks to crumble and disintegrate there. The climate of the desert plain is dry and annual and receives a small amount of snow and rain each year. It usually rains in the winter. However, the surrounding mountains on all sides provide plenty of water to create seasonal lakes and large wetlands.
The desert soil is covered with sand and gravel. The hot temperatures cause severe evaporation, leaving swamps and muddy lands with large crusts of salt. Often, severe storms occur, which can cause sand dunes to rise to a height of 40 meters. Parts of the desert plain have a more steppe-like appearance. Extreme heat and numerous storms in the desert plain cause widespread erosion, making land cultivation almost impossible. The vast plain is divided into three categories in terms of vegetation, the central core of which is completely hot and dry and has no life and is still unknown. Around this core, which has plants compatible with saline soils and desert lands, and animals such as deer feed on it, the edge of the desert and plains such as Moghan, where agriculture is done despite the salinity of the water. This desert is almost “empty”. Sheep and camel breeding and agriculture are the livelihoods of the few people who live on its soil.
Vegetation in “Dasht-e Kavir” is adapted to the hot and dry climate and saline soil in which it is rooted. Common plant species such as shrubs are found only in some valleys and on top of mountains. Yarrow is the most widespread plant.
Persian gazelle lives in the steppes and desert areas of the Central Plateau. Wild sheep, camels, goats and Persian leopards are common in mountainous areas. Nightlife brings wild cats, wolves, foxes and other carnivores. In parts of this desert, graves and sometimes even Asian cheetahs can be seen. Lizards and snakes live in different parts of the Central Plateau. There are no water springs in the central parts of the desert plain, so this part of the desert plain lacks vegetation, which naturally lacks resident animal species.
Like the rest of the desert regions of Iran, the best time to visit “Dasht-e Kavir” is in autumn and winter. Seeing meteor downfalls, which is one of the most famous desert activities, happens at this time. So before traveling to Dasht-e Kavir, be sure to check the astronomical websites for the date of this beautiful celestial event. “Dasht-e Kavir” becomes unbearable in summer and spring and even in early autumn.
NASA’s website describes Iran’s “Dasht-e Kavir” as follows: “Color vortices on a huge canvas, shallow lakes, salt marshes and winding valleys in the vast and uninhabited desert plain of Iran or the Great Salt Desert…
The “Dasht-e Kavir” salt domes are another wonder of this region that are one of the best examples of this geological phenomenon in the world. In the continuation of the story of turning a lake into a “desert plain” and over time, layers of salt came out of the bottom of the lake and were buried under layers of mud. In fact, salts are lucky because the density of salt is less than the density of rocks and mud. So they gradually pressed onto their upper layers over millions of years to form salt domes on the surface. There are about 50 salt domes in the “Dasht-e-Kavir”, some of which are exposed to wind and rain. Apart from the salt domes, we should also mention the salt polygons that are in the southern and central parts of the desert. Yellow soils and black salt are found in abundance in the desert plain. Parts of the ground are covered with holes in the shape of a volcano. These holes were created due to the rapid evaporation of water and the emptiness of the soil.
Traveling to the desert is very dangerous, areas whose surface is covered with salt have a hard surface, but it is necessary to know that the thickness of this layer is only a few centimeters and there is a lot of loose mud under it. This mud is very dangerous and if someone gets caught in it, he will have a hard time getting out. If you plan to travel to the desert plain to see the natural attractions, be sure to do so with experienced people.
