Qattara Depression

E62972

The Qattara Depression is a vast, arid basin in northwestern Egypt known for being one of the lowest and most inhospitable natural landscapes in Africa.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf depression
endoreic basin
geographical region
annualRainfall very low
area approximately 19,500 square kilometres
approximately 7,500 square miles
biodiversity supports limited desert-adapted flora and fauna
borderedBy plateaus to the north
sand seas to the south
climate desert climate
hyper-arid
contains salt lakes after rare rains
continent Africa
country Egypt
elevationRelativeToSeaLevel below sea level
geologicalOrigin deflation processes
salt weathering
wind erosion
hasEconomicPotential hydropower schemes
solar energy projects
hasFeature escarpments
playas
sabkhas
salt marshes
historicalSignificance strategic obstacle in World War II
hydrology endorheic
knownFor being one of the lowest points in Africa
difficult terrain
inhospitable environment
landUse limited grazing
military activities
locatedIn Libyan Desert
Western Desert
northwestern Egypt
lowestPointElevation approximately −133 metres
approximately −436 feet
nearestMajorCity Cairo
Marsa Matruh
partOf Sahara Desert
population very sparsely populated
proposedProject Qattara Depression Project
QattaraDepressionProjectGoal generate hydroelectric power by flooding with Mediterranean Sea water
shape roughly kidney-shaped basin
terrain marshy salt pans
rocky plateaus
salt flats
sand dunes
usedAs natural barrier in North African Campaign

Referenced by (2)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Western Desert
hasSubregion
Sahara Desert
lowestPoint

Please wait…