Registan Desert, Desert plateau in southwestern Afghanistan
The Registan Desert is a desert plateau in southwestern Afghanistan characterized by red sand dunes and hills rising 15 to 30 meters tall. The landscape features a mix of sandy plains and exposed rocky terrain spread across a broad, sparsely populated expanse.
This area served as part of ancient trade networks crossing through the broader region. Stabilized transverse dunes here show the effects of long-standing wind patterns that shaped the desert over centuries.
Baluchi and Pashtun nomads maintain traditional lifestyles in the region, using available lands near the Helmand and Arghandab rivers for their livestock grazing.
The area remains largely unpopulated with minimal water sources, so visitors need thorough preparation and adequate water supplies. Populated zones exist mainly near the Helmand and Arghandab rivers, where travelers can find basic resources and shelter.
Gypsum extraction occurs at Galeh Chad, demonstrating how limited economic activity persists even in this isolated desert terrain. This small-scale mining operation shows human presence in an otherwise harsh and remote environment.
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