The Arabian Desert is known to many as the Eastern Desert because it is located east of the Nile River in Egypt. Since the climate in the northern areas of the Arabian Desert are arid, vegetation can not be found there. The southern area of the Arabian Desert is more favorable toward vegetation because the humidity and precipitation are higher. As a result, trees and shrubs grow in the area. Most of the desert is made up of high plateaus and rubble, which eroded from limestone and sandstone.
Also known as the Libyan Desert, the Western Desert covers two-thirds of Egypt. It lies on the western side of the Nile River Valley. Millions of years ago, the Western Desert was once an ocean bottom. Marine fossils found embedded into the rocks prove the desert supported aquatic life. Water is available in the Western Desert and it comes from underground springs.
The White Desert has unusual rock formations that draw people to visit and take in the scenery. It is located on the western side of Egypt and, unlike other deserts, is white instead of yellow. Differential weathering is the cause of the white desert. Plants and springs can be found in the area. When viewed at night under the moon, the White Desert resembles the landscape of the Arctic.
