Grand Erg Oriental
Grand Erg Oriental
(Great Eastern Erg), a sandy desert in the northern Sahara of Algeria and Tunisia. The Grand Erg Oriental, covering an area of more than 100,000 sq km, was formed by drifting sands from the internal delta of the Irharrhar Wadi. The region is dominated by sand dunes up to 300 m high separated by gassi, corridors of pebble and clay. The sands are held in place by long-rooted bushes and grasses. Roads have been laid across the Grand Erg Oriental along the gassi. There are three oases in the region: Ouargla, Touggourt, and Ghudamis. The region has deposits of petroleum (Hassi Messaoud, El Gassi) and natural gas.