Which desert in Egypt and Sudan is named for Nubia and lies east of the Nile?

The Nubian Desert is the desert in Egypt and Sudan named for Nubia and lying east of the Nile.

It occupies a largely rocky and sandy region between the Nile Valley and the Red Sea. The area receives very little rainfall, but ancient and modern settlements developed along the Nile, where water and cultivable land are concentrated. The desert’s eastern edge rises toward the Red Sea Hills.

Nubia is a historical region rather than a modern country. Its cultural geography stretches through southern Egypt and northern Sudan, and it has been home to Nubian communities for thousands of years. Ancient trade routes crossed the desert, connecting Nile settlements with Red Sea ports and mineral sources.

The Nubian Desert is sometimes grouped within the wider Sahara, but it has a specific regional name and location. It should also be distinguished from Egypt’s Eastern Desert, a broader term for arid land between the Nile and Red Sea.