Australia. Guide to Australia

Большая Песчаная пустыня (Great Sandy Desert) or the Western Desert - sand and saline desert in the north-west Australia Western Australia. The area of ​​the desert 360 000 км², raskinulasʹ the 900 km from west to east, as well as 600 km from north to south from the Kimberley region to the Tropic of Capricorn, going to the desert Gibson.

The predominant landscape - ridge of sand dunes, average height is - 10-12 м, Maximum - up to 30 м. Ridges up to 5mkm stretch in the latitudinal direction, that is caused by the direction of the prevailing trade winds. In the region there are numerous lakes, salt marshes, occasionally filled with water: Disappoyntment the south, Mackay in the east, Gregory the north, which feeds the River Sturt Creek.

The desert sands covered with red, primarily on the dunes grow thorny xerophytic grasses (spinifeks etc.) Dune ridges separated by clay-saline plains, which grow shrubs Acacia (South) and stunted eucalyptus trees (the north).

Great Sandy Desert - the hottest region of Australia. In summer, from December to February the average temperature reaches 35 °C, winter - up to 20-15 ° C. Precipitation rare and irregular, mainly brought by summer monsoons equatorial. In the northern part of the falls near the 450 mm of rainfall, in the south - to 200 mm.

Resident population in the desert is not, except for a few groups Aboriginal, including tribes karadzheri (Karadjeri) and Nigina (Nygina). Assumes, depths of the desert that may contain minerals.

Through the area of ​​desert in the north-east route passes Kanningsky skotoperegonny (Canning Stock Route) Length 1 600 km from the city Viluna (Wiluna) across the lake Disappoyntment to Halls Creek (Halls Creek). In the northeastern part of the desert is the crater of Wolf Creek.

  

  

In the central part of the region is situated the National Park Rudall River, in the extreme south - is included in the list of World Heritage National Park Uluru-Kata Tjuta.