Syrian << SEER ee uhn >> Desert is a desert in southwestern Asia that covers parts of Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. The Syrian Desert is the northwestern part of the Arabian Desert.
The Syrian Desert is mostly a plateau that slopes downward to the Euphrates River, its eastern boundary. The southern two-thirds of the plateau is rocky. A mountainous area about 3,000 feet (910 meters) high stands above the central part of the plateau, near the point where Jordan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia meet. Deeply cut wadis (dry valleys) wind down from these mountains to the Euphrates. The northern third of the plateau is a flat, sandy plain that forms the natural bridge between Syria and Iraq.
The Syrian Desert contains historic ruins and several towns that have grown up around oases. The area includes the famous ruins of Palmyra in central Syria. Palmyra thrived more than 2,000 years ago as a major stop for caravans.
