Dasht-e Kavir
{{Short description|Desert in central Iran}}
{{About|the desert in central Iran|the desert in North America|Great Salt Lake Desert}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox valley
| name = Dasht-e Kavir
| native_name = {{native name|fa|دشت كوير}}
| photo = Dasht-e Kavir 2, Iran.JPG
| photo_caption = Sand dunes in the Rig-e Jenn in the Dasht-e Kavir
| map = Iran
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| country = Iran
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| district = Khorasan, Semnan, Tehran, Isfahan, Yazd
| district_type = Province
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| coordinates = {{Coord|34|44|15.2|N|54|49|37.56|E|display=inline,title}}
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| length_km = 800
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| width_km = 500
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| area_km2 = 77,600
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Dasht-e Kavir ({{langx|fa|دشت كوير|lit=Low Plains}} in classical Persian, from khwar (low), and dasht (plain, flatland)) or the Kavir Desert, also known as Kavir-e Namak or the Great Salt Desert, is a large desert lying in the middle of the Iranian Plateau. It is about {{convert|800|km|mi}} long by {{convert|320|km|mi}} wide with a total surface area of about {{convert|77600|sqkm|sqmi|abbr=on}}, making it the world's 24th largest desert.{{cite book |editor-first=John W. |editor-last=Wright | year=2006 | title=The New York Times Almanac |url=https://archive.org/details/newyorktimesalma00john_2 |url-access=registration | edition=2007 | publisher=Penguin Books | location=New York, New York | isbn=0-14-303820-6 | page=[https://archive.org/details/newyorktimesalma00john_2/page/456 456]}} The desert stretches from the Alborz mountain range in the north-west to the Dasht-e Lut in the south-east. It is spread across the Iranian provinces of Khorasan, Semnan, Tehran, Isfahan and Yazd.
Features
In the center of the desert lies the salt marshes of Kavir Buzurg (Great Kavir), which is about {{convert|320|km|mi|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|160|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide. In the western part of the desert lies the Daryahcheh-e Namak ("salt lake"), {{convert|1800|sqkm|sqmi|abbr=on}}. It contains some large salt plates in a mosaic-like shape. It is part of a {{convert|4000|sqkm|sqmi|abbr=on|adj=on}} protected ecological zone, the Kavir National Park.
Climate and structure
Image:Map iran biotopes simplified-fr.pngs of Iran, showing location of Dasht-e Kavir (beige oval at right center).
{{legend|#aeff2f|Forest steppe}}
{{legend|#32cd32|Forests and woodlands}}
{{legend|#ffc0a8|Semi-desert}}
{{legend|#fff0b9|Desert lowlands}}
{{legend|#c8fb98|Steppe}}
{{legend|#ffffff|Salted alluvial marshes}}]]
Dasht-e Kavir has an arid climate with little precipitation. However, there is usually some rainfall in winter, as well as the mountains that surround it, provide plenty of runoff—enough to create vast seasonal lakes, marshlands and playas. Daytime and nighttime temperatures can vary by as much as {{convert|70|C-change}} over the course of a year. The weather can get quite cold during the nighttime in winter, routinely dropping to below {{convert|0|C}} in some areas.
The desert soil is covered with sand and pebbles; there are marshes, seasonal lakes and seasonal river beds. The high temperatures and low humidity cause extreme vaporization, which leaves the marshes and mud grounds with large crusts of salt.
{{Weather box |metric first= Yes |single line= Yes |location= Garmsār, Semnan Province, Altitude: 899.9 M from: 1986-2010
|Jan record high C = 20.8
|Feb record high C = 24.6
|Mar record high C = 32.2
|Apr record high C = 36.6
|May record high C = 40.8
|Jun record high C = 45.0
|Jul record high C = 47.0
|Aug record high C = 46.0
|Sep record high C = 41.0
|Oct record high C = 36.4
|Nov record high C = 28.4
|Dec record high C = 22.2
|Jan high C = 10.2
|Feb high C = 13.5
|Mar high C = 18.8
|Apr high C = 25.7
|May high C = 31.6
|Jun high C = 37.7
|Jul high C = 40.0
|Aug high C = 39.1
|Sep high C = 34.8
|Oct high C = 27.7
|Nov high C = 18.9
|Dec high C = 12.1
|Jan mean C = 4.7
|Feb mean C = 7.4
|Mar mean C = 12.4
|Apr mean C = 18.6
|May mean C = 24.0
|Jun mean C = 29.7
|Jul mean C = 32.4
|Aug mean C = 31.1
|Sep mean C = 26.4
|Oct mean C = 20.0
|Nov mean C = 12.2
|Dec mean C = 6.5
|Jan low C = -0.9
|Feb low C = 1.3
|Mar low C = 6.0
|Apr low C = 11.5
|May low C = 16.4
|Jun low C = 21.6
|Jul low C = 24.7
|Aug low C = 23.2
|Sep low C = 18.1
|Oct low C = 12.3
|Nov low C = 5.6
|Dec low C = 0.9
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation mm = 15.0
|Feb precipitation mm = 14.5
|Mar precipitation mm = 26.9
|Apr precipitation mm = 19.8
|May precipitation mm = 10.8
|Jun precipitation mm = 1.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 2.7
|Aug precipitation mm = 1.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 0.4
|Oct precipitation mm = 3.8
|Nov precipitation mm = 11.1
|Dec precipitation mm = 14.1
|Jan humidity = 64
|Feb humidity = 55
|Mar humidity = 47
|Apr humidity = 39
|May humidity = 32
|Jun humidity = 23
|Jul humidity = 25
|Aug humidity = 25
|Sep humidity = 28
|Oct humidity = 36
|Nov humidity = 50
|Dec humidity = 64
|date=1986-2010
}}
{{Weather box |metric first= Yes |single line= Yes |location= Ardestan, Esfahan Province, Altitude: 1252.4 M from: 1992-2010
|Jan record high C = 22.2
|Feb record high C = 26.4
|Mar record high C = 32.0
|Apr record high C = 34.4
|May record high C = 39.6
|Jun record high C = 43.2
|Jul record high C = 44.4
|Aug record high C = 43.4
|Sep record high C = 39.6
|Oct record high C = 34.2
|Nov record high C = 29.4
|Dec record high C = 22.6
|Jan high C = 9.1
|Feb high C = 13.3
|Mar high C = 18.4
|Apr high C = 24.8
|May high C = 30.2
|Jun high C = 35.8
|Jul high C = 38.2
|Aug high C = 37.3
|Sep high C = 33.0
|Oct high C = 26.4
|Nov high C = 17.6
|Dec high C = 11.2
|Jan mean C = 4.6
|Feb mean C = 8.1
|Mar mean C = 12.9
|Apr mean C = 19.0
|May mean C = 24.0
|Jun mean C = 29.4
|Jul mean C = 31.9
|Aug mean C = 30.8
|Sep mean C = 26.7
|Oct mean C = 20.7
|Nov mean C = 12.7
|Dec mean C = 6.8
|Jan low C = 0.1
|Feb low C = 2.8
|Mar low C = 7.4
|Apr low C = 13.2
|May low C = 17.9
|Jun low C = 22.9
|Jul low C = 25.6
|Aug low C = 24.4
|Sep low C = 20.4
|Oct low C = 15.1
|Nov low C = 7.7
|Dec low C = 2.4
|Jan record low C = -15.2
|Feb record low C = -8.4
|Mar record low C = -5.2
|Apr record low C = 1.2
|May record low C = 5.8
|Jun record low C = 13.0
|Jul record low C = 18.2
|Aug record low C = 15.8
|Sep record low C = 10.5
|Oct record low C = 6.6
|Nov record low C = -3.0
|Dec record low C = -10.2
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation mm = 24.1
|Feb precipitation mm = 15.1
|Mar precipitation mm = 23.1
|Apr precipitation mm = 15.5
|May precipitation mm = 13.3
|Jun precipitation mm = 0.9
|Jul precipitation mm = 0.4
|Aug precipitation mm = 0.9
|Sep precipitation mm = 0.5
|Oct precipitation mm = 2.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 8.9
|Dec precipitation mm = 22.4
|Jan humidity = 52
|Feb humidity = 41
|Mar humidity = 33
|Apr humidity = 29
|May humidity = 24
|Jun humidity = 19
|Jul humidity = 19
|Aug humidity = 17
|Sep humidity = 18
|Oct humidity = 26
|Nov humidity = 38
|Dec humidity = 51
|Jan snow days= 3.1
|Feb snow days= 1.3
|Mar snow days= 0.5
|Apr snow days= 0.0
|May snow days= 0.1
|Jun snow days= 0.0
|Jul snow days= 0.0
|Aug snow days= 0.0
|Sep snow days= 0.0
|Oct snow days= 0.0
|Nov snow days= 0.0
|Dec snow days= 1.1
|date=1992-2010
}}
{{Weather box |metric first= Yes |single line= Yes |location= Biarjamand, Semnan Province, Altitude: 1099.3 M from: 1992-2010
|Jan high C = 7.6
|Feb high C = 11.2
|Mar high C = 16.7
|Apr high C = 23.3
|May high C = 28.6
|Jun high C = 33.5
|Jul high C = 35.6
|Aug high C = 34.7
|Sep high C = 30.7
|Oct high C = 24.5
|Nov high C = 16.3
|Dec high C = 9.6
|Jan mean C = 2.2
|Feb mean C = 5.0
|Mar mean C = 10.1
|Apr mean C = 16.5
|May mean C = 21.7
|Jun mean C = 26.7
|Jul mean C = 29.3
|Aug mean C = 28.0
|Sep mean C = 23.3
|Oct mean C = 17.0
|Nov mean C = 9.6
|Dec mean C = 4.1
|Jan low C = -3.2
|Feb low C = -1.1
|Mar low C = 3.4
|Apr low C = 9.7
|May low C = 14.9
|Jun low C = 20.0
|Jul low C = 22.9
|Aug low C = 21.4
|Sep low C = 16.0
|Oct low C = 9.4
|Nov low C = 2.9
|Dec low C = -1.5
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation mm = 15.4
|Feb precipitation mm = 13.2
|Mar precipitation mm = 28.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 23.7
|May precipitation mm = 15.4
|Jun precipitation mm = 4.3
|Jul precipitation mm = 0.6
|Aug precipitation mm = 1.3
|Sep precipitation mm = 2.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 3.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 7.2
|Dec precipitation mm = 13.1
|Jan humidity = 66
|Feb humidity = 57
|Mar humidity = 49
|Apr humidity = 43
|May humidity = 35
|Jun humidity = 30
|Jul humidity = 30
|Aug humidity = 30
|Sep humidity = 33
|Oct humidity = 39
|Nov humidity = 50
|Dec humidity = 66
|source 1 = {{cite web
| url = http://www.chaharmahalmet.ir/iranarchive.asp
| title = آمار 166 ايستگاه سينوپتيك كشور تا پایان سال 2010 میلادی + 37 ایستگاه تا پایان سال 2005
| access-date = 13 February 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160217102629/http://www.chaharmahalmet.ir/iranarchive.asp
| archive-date = 17 February 2016
| url-status = dead
}}
}}
Post-glacial lake system
Almost 3,000 years ago, at the start of the post-glacial era, the Kavir was a series of vast lakes.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
Wildlife
File:Half Mountain, Dasht-e Kavir Desert.jpg
Vegetation in the Dasht-e Kavir is adapted to the hot and arid climate as well as to the saline soil in which it is rooted.
Persian gazelles live in parts of steppe and desert areas of the central plateau. Wild sheep (Ovis orientalis), camels, wild goats (Capra aegagrus)Mohammadian, H. Mammals of Iran. Shabpareh Publishing Institute. Tehran, Iran. 2005.{{ISBN|964-94487-9-9}}. and Persian leopards are common in mountainous areas. Night life brings on wild cats, wolves, foxes, and other carnivores.
Cultivation
The extreme heat and many storms in Dasht-e Kavir cause extensive erosion, which makes it almost impossible to cultivate the lands. The desert is almost uninhabited and knows little exploitation.
See also
- {{annotated link|Dasht-e Lut}} ('Desert of Emptiness')
- {{annotated link|Geography of Iran}}
- {{annotated link|International rankings of Iran}}
- {{annotated link|List of deserts by area}}
- [https://www.irtouring.com/cities-in-iran Cities of Iran]
References
{{Commons category|Dasht-e Kavir}}
{{reflist}}
{{Deserts}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Geography of Isfahan province
Category:Geography of Tehran province
Category:Geography of Yazd province
Category:Physiographic sections