Simpson Desert

　　   The Simpson Desert is located in central Australia, spanning the Northern Territory, South Australia, and Queensland, covering an area of approximately 176,500 square kilometers. It is the fourth longest desert in Australia and is famous for its red sand dunes. The name "Simpson Desert" comes from an Australian explorer and geologist who named this strikingly red desert after Alfred Allen Simpson, the mayor of Adelaide at the time.

　　   The desert appears bright red due to the long-term weathering of iron-rich materials, which coat the sand and stones with a layer of iron oxide. As a result, the vast expanse of the desert resembles a sea of fire, appearing particularly magnificent under the sunlight. The average annual rainfall in the desert is less than 200 millimeters, and summers are extremely hot. The sand dunes in the desert are aligned in parallel rows, all running from north to south. Due to the stabilizing effect of vegetation, most of the dunes are stationary and do not move. The dunes on the western side are only about three meters high, while those on the eastern side generally reach around 30 meters in height, with the tallest reaching up to 40 meters — the renowned “Big Red.”

　　   Many people have attempted to cross the Simpson Desert, and many have succeeded. The journey requires traversing all more than 1,100 sand dunes. The red dunes and the challenging off-road driving routes make the desert crossing an ultimate adventure experience.

　　   Simpson Desert    Reason to visit: Australia’s most strikingly red desert    Continent: Oceania    Country/Region: Australia    State/Province: Northern Territory, South Australia, and Queensland