Al-Jafurah

The sands of al-Jafurah lie between the Gulf coast and the interior of eastern Arabia. Around al-Ahsa, sheets of sand give way to scattered crescent dunes, with patches of desert shrubs and wild palms. Winds drive the sand across the margins of the oasis: for centuries the moving dunes have encroached upon cultivated land, bringing the desert into close contact with its irrigated gardens.