The Auaz Desert: Pure Star Wars Fiction
The Auaz Desert does not exist on Earth. It is a fictional location created for Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999).
In the Film
- Scene: Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Jar Jar Binks travel through "the Auaz Desert" on Naboo en route to Theed
- Visuals: Vast dune seas, rocky outcrops, twin suns (Tatooine callback) — filmed in Tunisia (Chott el Djerid salt flats) and Jordan (Wadi Rum)
- Purpose: Establish Naboo's geographic diversity (swamps, plains, deserts, cities)
Real Deserts Used as Stand-Ins
| Film Location | Real Desert | Country |
|---|
| Naboo deserts | Chott el Djerid | Tunisia |
| Tatooine (Ep IV, I, II) | Chott el Djerid, Matmata | Tunisia |
| Tatooine (Ep IV) | Death Valley | USA |
| Jakku (Ep VII) | Wadi Rum | Jordan |
| Pasaana (Ep IX) | Wadi Rum | Jordan |
Similar Real Names (Possible Confusion Sources)
- Atacama Desert (Chile/Peru) — driest non-polar
- Arabian Desert (Western Asia)
- Azawad (Tuareg region, Mali/Niger — not a desert name)
- Auas Mountains (Namibia) — mountains, not desert
Verdict: Auaz Desert = 100% Star Wars worldbuilding. Visit Tunisia or Jordan to stand where the scenes were filmed—but you won't find "Auaz" on any map.
Wanderlust World