Corridor Libya

East of the Fezzan's oasis valleys, the Sahara opens into expanses of gravel, sand and bare rock. The dark volcanic Haruj rises to the north, while the great Murzuq sand sea lies farther west. Settlements in the Fezzan cluster along low valleys where water supports palm groves, separated from one another by long stretches of desert. The contrast between these green pockets and the surrounding barren plains defines much of the region.