Issaouane Erg
Encyclopedia
The Issaouane Erg is an approximately 38,000 km2 erg
(sand sea) in Algeria
's portion of the Sahara
desert
. It is located at 31.18°N 7.93°W.
. It is part of a major dune field and the erg's southern portion is located in Sudan
. The Issaouane Erg is also flanked by the Libya
n erg of Murzuq
. In the north it ends at the Tinrhert Plateau and in the south at the Fadnoun Plateau.
Sand in the Issaouane Erg, below the level of the sand dunes, has accumulated to a depth of 20 to 30 meters. It has barchan
dunes as well as star dunes of 300 to 430 meters high.
artefacts (sculptures and paintings), from the Kiffian culture
.
, which began developing the oilfield with foreign assistance, including from Korea
and Spain (Repsol signed an agreement to invest and explore in 1990). The oilfield has been in production since late 1998.
Erg (landform)
An erg is a broad, flat area of desert covered with wind-swept sand with little or no vegetative cover. The term takes its name from the Arabic word ʿarq , meaning "dune field"...
(sand sea) in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
's portion of the Sahara
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
. It is located at 31.18°N 7.93°W.
Topography
The Issaouane Erg is located near the Ahaggar MountainsAhaggar Mountains
The Ahaggar Mountains , also known as the Hoggar, are a highland region in central Sahara, or southern Algeria, along the Tropic of Cancer. They are located about 1,500 km south of the capital, Algiers and just west of Tamanghasset. The region is largely rocky desert with an average...
. It is part of a major dune field and the erg's southern portion is located in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
. The Issaouane Erg is also flanked by the Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n erg of Murzuq
Murzuq Desert
Murzuq Desert, Idehan Murzuq, Idhan Murzuq, , is a primarily erg desert in southwestern Libya. It is considered part of the Sahara desert complex, although it is separated from the southern Sahara by the Tibesti Mountains and the Tassili n'Ajjer.-Sand Sea:This detailed astronaut photograph, taken...
. In the north it ends at the Tinrhert Plateau and in the south at the Fadnoun Plateau.
Sand in the Issaouane Erg, below the level of the sand dunes, has accumulated to a depth of 20 to 30 meters. It has barchan
Barchan
A barchan dune, also barkhan is an arc-shaped sand ridge, comprising well-sorted sand. This type of dune possesses two "horns" that face downwind, with the slip face at the angle of repose of sand, or approximately 35 degrees . The upwind side is packed by the wind, and stands at about 15 degrees...
dunes as well as star dunes of 300 to 430 meters high.
Cultural history
The Issouane Erg contains neolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
artefacts (sculptures and paintings), from the Kiffian culture
Kiffian culture
Kiffian is the name given by archaeologists to a prehistoric culture thriving between about 10,000 and 8,000 years ago in the Sahara Desert. This was during a wet period of Saharan history known as the Neolithic Subpluvial...
.
Natural resources
The Issaouane Erg contains oil; the Tifernine oilfield is explored by the Algerian state oil company SonatrachSonatrach
Sonatrach is an Algerian government-owned company formed to exploit the hydrocarbon resources of the country. Its diversified activities cover all aspects of production: exploration, extraction, transport, and refining...
, which began developing the oilfield with foreign assistance, including from Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and Spain (Repsol signed an agreement to invest and explore in 1990). The oilfield has been in production since late 1998.