Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Contribution of geomorphological assessment for sustainable geotourism: A case of Iran's Desert

2012; Volume: 6; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

1998-1066

Mahdi Eshraghi, Habibah Ahmad, Mohd Ekhwan Toriman,

Geotourism and Geoheritage Conservation

Deserts have enormous unique natural and human attractions, although there are many superficial rough nesses. Generally, when managed and operated properly, desert attractions provide ample benefits including a highly profitable industry of tourism. The prosperity of Geotourism in desert areas also helps to broaden the economic spectrum of the country which is normally unproductive agricultural and industrial activities, but also revives to improvement quality of life of local communities. This article focuses on geomorphological characteristics of desert areas of Kavirs which cover about 25 percent of Iran’s area. These regions have a collection of all the geomorphological phenomena related to deserts. Here, geological relics have been found including landforms, water landscapes, paleontological remains and rock formation. Iran’s two great deserts, Lut Kavir and Great Kavir, are vast and, relatively unexplored regions in the eastern part of central Iran. The deserts include three of the world’s phenomena. First, Ghourd: the world’s highest sand pyramids which are huge sand dunes 2000m long and 500m high. Second, Yardang or Kalut: an area of 150 km long, 70 km wide and 80m high, which comprises long deep moats (ditches) created by storms and floods. Third, being the hottest point in the world as recorded by the satellite images. Iran deserts also contain a variety of sand deposits such as seif, barkhan, yardang, sand pyramids (Ghourd), sand channels and nebka. Vast clay and saline lands as well as salt polygons are other ubiquitous features of its deserts. This article also identifies the geomorphological features that lead to Geotourism development and demand for Iran's unique desert tourism.