Iran’s Lut Desert, The “Plain Of Emptiness”
Lrkrol/Wikimedia CommonsThe Lut Desert in Iran is one of the hottest places on Earth — and one of the most inhospitable.
Located in the southeast of Iran, the Lut Desert (Dasht-e Lut) spreads across 5 million acres. Its name is Persian and describes a place without water or vegetation. And the name is apt — Lut is the hottest place in Iran.
In 2005, the land surface temperature was measured at a whopping 159.3 degrees Fahrenheit (scorchingly hot, though not as hot as the Flaming Mountains).
The climate in Lut is described as “hyper-arid,” and the area frequently records high temperatures. In July, temperatures usually stay around 100 degrees, though they can drop into the 50s during January.
Lrkrol/Wikimedia CommonsLife is scarce in the Lut Desert, but it does exist. There are dozens of species of plants as well as animals and insects.
Though the desert has different landscapes, including salt-plateaus, ridges, and sand dunes, it’s extremely inhospitable to any forms of life. UNESCO reports that it’s been described “as a place of ‘no life’,” though some flora and fauna have been known to survive in its harsh conditions.
Despite the heat and arid conditions, some 58 plant species have been recorded here. Lut Desert is also home to insects and larger animals like geckos, sand foxes, and different varieties of birds.
But in the end, this desert, one of the hottest places in the world, remains something of a mystery. Difficult to reach, UNESCO notes that it’s a place that “would benefit from greater investigation.”
