This desert is not in Arabia, but in Turkey: where and how were these sand dunes formed that resemble a piece from the Sahara?

Karapınar District of Konya, the driest area of ​​Konya’s closed basin and the region with the least rainfall in Turkey, in the middle of a dry bowl.

In the past “where the ground endsHow did Karapınar district, which is “named and even moved to the agenda”, get this far?

After the caravanserai was built in the region during the reign of Yavuz Sultan Selim, Sultaniye named after Karapınar; got its current name in 1934.is a town located 94 km east of the city center.

Being on the historic Silk Road, interesting geological structure and crater lakes, it is known as one of the few tourist areas of Turkey.

This basin, which lies between Karadağ and Karacadağ, formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago, hides very rare formations on Earth.

Karapınar, which we can describe as an area covered with vast plains and broad steppes, is actually a volcanic country.

So how did Karapınar come to this?

When it was a flat land, volcanic cones called meke that rise out of nowhere Karapınar, which got its current shape thanks to; filled with crater pits and strange-looking rocky pinnacles, some of which have become lakes of water.

There are many other reasons that make Karapınar, which has taken different forms over the years with volcanic eruptions.

In fact, the sand left behind by a large lake in this region during the Ice Age, this desert shaped by the wind; In addition, it has taken its present form due to reasons such as the lack of development of forests due to the arid climate, the subsequent pollution of the lake sediments consisting of calcareous and clayey materials, the formation of a weak steppe cover due to the continental climate and overgrazing by small livestock.

The most interesting formations of this geography, which looks like an abandoned planet from above, are undoubtedly the sinkholes.

These giant pits, opened like a mouth swallowing up the ground, are found in the sinkhole plateau in the north of the basin. The reason for these pits is The plateau has a calcareous and calcareous land structure. as well as the drying up of underground water sources due to excessive irrigation.

Since the water permeability of the region’s soil is high, rainwater accumulates on the soil and dissolves the limestone layers, and for this reason. large and small spaces happens.

The main feature of the region is that the largest wind erosion prevention in the world was built for the Karapınar sand dunes in this district.

This project in Karapınar District, which includes formations such as Meke Saltpan, Meyil Lake, Çıralı Lake and Acıgöl, was completed in 1999 on an area of ​​103,000 hectares. one of the 10 most successful projects accepted as.

Since the 1950s, much of the region has been forested against wind erosion.

For this reason, as in the past, the surrounding settlements in the region are threatening. severe sand storms It’s not blowing, but wildlife isn’t as abundant as it used to be. Karapınar is also one of the rare areas that can prevent erosion.

Karapınar is now considered the only desert area in Turkey.

The region, which has provided important trade routes throughout history, with an unusual appearance It is becoming a popular destination for domestic and foreign tourists.

• sources: Journalist and traveler Mehmet Yaşan, Documentary director Orhan Ağaoğlu, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, NTV, Journal of Travelers