The Farafra depression ( ar, واحة الفرافرة, ) is a
geological depression
In geology, a depression is a landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area. Depressions form by various mechanisms.
Types
Erosion-related:
* Blowout: a depression created by wind erosion typically in either a partially vegetated san ...
, the second biggest by size in Western
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
and the smallest by population, near latitude 27.06° north and longitude 27.97° east. It is in the large
Western Desert of Egypt, approximately midway between
Dakhla and
Bahariya
El-Wahat el-Bahariya or el-Bahariya ( ar, الواحات البحرية "''El-Wāḥāt El-Baḥrīya''", "the Northern Oases"); is a depression and a naturally rich oasis in the Western Desert of Egypt. It is approximately 370 km away from ...
oases.
Farafra has an estimated 5,000 inhabitants (2002) mainly living in the town of Farafra and is mostly inhabited by the local
Bedouins
The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu (; , singular ) are nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. The Bedouin originated in the Syrian Desert and Ar ...
. Parts of the town have complete quarters of traditional architecture, simple, smooth, unadorned, all in mud colour — local culture and traditional methods of building and carrying out repairs have been supported by its tourism. Often grouped within Farafra are the
hot springs at Bir Sitta (the sixth well) and the El-Mufid lake.
Etymology
The word al-Farafra (''al-Farafira'' in local pronunciation, ''al-Farfarun'' in
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
) is a broken plural form of ''farfar'' meaning "fizzy spring". The Ancient Egyptian name of the oasis was , "the land of cattle".
History
Archaeological evidence suggests that Farafra region was inhabited since late
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was finally confirmed in ...
. Farafra was known in
ancient Egyptian history at least since the
Middle Kingdom. In the
Ptolemaic period, the region was under the administration of the Oxyrhynchite nome (19th Upper Egyptian nome).
White Desert
A main geographic attraction of Farafra is its White Desert (known as ''
Sahara el Beyda'') — a national park of Egypt and north of the town of Farafra, the main draw of which is its rock type colored from snow-white to cream. It has massive
chalk rock formations that are textbook examples of
ventifact
A ventifact (also wind-faceted stone, windkanter) is a rock that has been abraded, pitted, etched, grooved, or polished by wind-driven sand or ice crystals. These geomorphic features are most typically found in arid environments where there is li ...
and which have been created as a result of occasional
sandstorm
A dust storm, also called a sandstorm, is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Fine particles are transpo ...
in the area. The White Desert is a typical place visited by some schools in Egypt, as a location for camping trips.
Wells
Due to its geographical location and geological formation it has more than 100 wells spread out over the lands of the Farafra, many of which are natural. Most of these wells are used in aggregation of the
cultivated land
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
in the oasis. Some of the wells in Farafra have become a favorite tourist destination. Bir Sitta, (well 6 in Arabic), Bir Sab'a (well 7) and Bir Ithnian wa ishrin (well 22) are the most important. Because of the water's warm temperature and a slight percentage of
sulfur, these wells are favorable for swimming and relaxation. There is a large lake touristic well named Abu Nus 15 kilometers north of the edge of the Farafra.
Climate
Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as
hot desert (BWh).
Gallery
File:WhiteDesertEgypt@FarafraOasis2007jan6-93 byDanielCsorfoly.JPG
File:Weisse Wüste.jpg, Limestone rock formation
File:White Desert, Al-Farafra-Al-Bahariya road through the desert, Egypt.jpg, Al-Farafra - Al-Bahariya road
File:White Desert, Rock formation, Egypt.jpg, Rock formation
File:White Desert, Karst rock formations 2, Egypt.jpg, Rock formations
File:White Desert, Karst rock formations, Egypt.jpg, Distant view
References
Bibliography
* Frank Bliss: 'Oasenleben. Die ägyptischen Oasen Bahriya und Farafra in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart'. Die ägyptischen Oasen Band 2. Bonn 2006.
* Frank Bliss: 'Artisanat et artisanat d’art dans les oasis du désert occidental égyptien'. "Veröffentlichungen des Frobenius-Instituts". Köln 1998.
* Beadnell, Hugh J. L
The Farafra Oasis: Its Topography and Geology.Geological Survey Report. Part 3 Egypt. Maṣlaḥat al-Misāḥah. 1901.
* Fakhry, Ahmed. 1974. Bahriyah and Farafra. Reissue of the Classic History and Description. Illustrated, reprint. Publisher: American Univ. in Cairo Press, 1974. , 9789774247323. 189 pages.
External links
Farafra oasis on Wikivoyage
{{Authority control
Populated places in New Valley Governorate
Oases of Egypt
Western Desert (Egypt)