Which desert’s Arabic name, Rubʿ al-Khālī, means “Empty Quarter”?

Rubʿ al Khali is the desert whose Arabic name means “Empty Quarter.”

The Rubʿ al Khali occupies about 650,000 square kilometres across the southern Arabian Peninsula. Most of it lies in Saudi Arabia, with extensions into Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

It is the world’s largest continuous sand desert. Vast dunes, some rising more than 200 metres, alternate with gravel plains and salt flats. The region is extremely arid, although occasional rainfall can create short-lived vegetation.

“Empty Quarter” refers to the desert’s immense, sparsely populated environment rather than to a complete absence of life. Researchers have found archaeological evidence showing that parts of the region were wetter during earlier climatic periods.