Dasht-e Kavir

Dasht-e Kavir (Persian: دشت كوير‎‎, lit. 'Low Plains' in classical Persian, from khwar (low), and dasht (plain), flatland), also known as Kavir-e Namak (lit. 'salty lowlands') and the Great Salt Desert, is a large desert lying in the middle of the Iranian plateau. It is about 800 km (500 mi) by 320 km (200 mi) with a total surface area of about 77,600 km² (30,000 sq mi), making it the Earth's 23rd largest desert. The area of this desert stretches from the Alborz mountain range in the north-west to the Dasht-e Lut in the south-east and is partitioned between the Iranian provinces of Khorasan, Semnan, Tehran, Isfahan and Yazd.

means 'plain' in Persian. It is named after the salt marshes ("kavirs") located there. means 'salt'.

Central in the desert lies the Kavir Buzurg (Great Kavir), which is about 320 km long and 160 km (99 mi) wide. In the west lies the Daryahcheh-e Namak ("salt lake"), of 1,800 km² (690 sq mi). It contains some large salt plates in a mosaic-like shape. It is part of a 4,000 km² (1,500 sq mi) protected ecological zone, the Kavir National Park. One of the most desolate places of Dasht-e Kavir is the Rig-e Jenn ("devil's dunes).

The Dasht-e Kavir's climate is arid and receives little rain and snow each year. However, the surrounding mountains on all side, provide plenty of runoff to create vast seasonal lakes, marshlands and playas. Temperatures can reach 50 °C (122 °F) in summer, and the average temperature in January is 22 °C (72 °F). Day and night temperatures during a year can differ up to 70 °C (158 °F). Rain usually falls in winter.

...
Wikipedia