Liwa Oasis

Liwa Oasis is about 97.6 km (60.6 miles) south of the Persian Gulf coast and 150 km (93 miles) southwest of the city of Abu Dhabi, on the northern edge of Rub' al Khali desert. It is centered around 23°08′N 53°46′E and stretches about 100 km (62 miles) east-west, along an arch curved to the north. It consists of some 50 villages. The geographic and economic center of the oasis is Muzayri`, where the highway from Abu Dhabi enters the oasis and then divides to the east (65 km (40 miles) to the easternmost village, Mahdar Bin `Usayyan) and west (45 km (28 miles) to the westernmost village, `Aradah). According to the census of population of 2005, the population was 20,196.<sup>[2]</sup> Earlier estimates judging from satellite images which gauged the population at 50,000 to 150,000, were too high.<sup>[3]</sup> The villages of Liwa Oasis are the southernmost settlements of Abu Dhabi and of the United Arab Emirates. The southern border of Abu Dhabi with Saudi Arabia, which runs at a distance between 16 and 35 km (9.9 and 21.7 miles) to the Oasis, is a straight line in the Rub al Khali desert, which is largely uninhabited. Mahdar Bin `Usayyan is the southernmost village of the Emirates, and also the easternmost of the oasis. 10 km (6.2 miles) south of the border, and 40 km (25 miles) south of the eastern part of the oasis is the Saudi oil facility Shaybah. However, there is no road linking Liwa Oasis and Shaybah, and no border crossing. A modern, multi-lane highway connects the oasis area to the capital, Abu Dhabi.

Villages

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The USGS Geographic Names Database^[4] lists 39 populated places in the area of the oasis, which are listed from west to east in the following table.

More information Village, Arabic ...

Village	Arabic	Coordinates
`Aradah	عرادة	22°59′00″N 53°26′00″E
Milqatah	ملقطة	23°04′00″N 53°32′00″E
Al-`Idd	العيد	23°04′48″N 53°33′02″E
Al-Mariyah al-Gharbiyah	المارية الغربية	23°06′12″N 53°34′48″E
Humar	حمار	23°05′04″N 53°35′03″E
Khannur	خنور	23°06′14″N 53°36′05″E
Hamarur	حمرور	23°06′00″N 53°36′31″E
Taraq	طرق	23°06′50″N 53°36′41″E
Mujib	مجيب	23°07′00″N 53°41′00″E
Kayyah	جيه	23°09′30″N 53°41′05″E
Zuwayhir	ظويهر	23°08′22″N 53°41′36″E
Wafd	وفد	23°06′20″N 53°42′50″E
Umm al Qurayn	أم القرين	23°06′00″N 53°43′00″E
Qutuf	قطوف	23°06′36″N 53°43′29″E
Al-Atir	العاطر	23°09′50″N 53°44′07″E
Al-Mariyah	المارية	23°08′30″N 53°44′30″E
Dhafeer	ظفير	23°07′50″N 53°45′37″E
Jayf	جيف	23°09′44″N 53°46′28″E
Muzayri	مظيري	23°08′19″N 53°47′14″E
Nafir	نافر	23°06′00″N 53°48′00″E
Huwaylah	حويلة	23°09′19″N 53°49′26″E
Qurmidah	قرمدة	23°07′08″N 53°49′42″E
Hafif	هفيف \ حفيف	23°08′52″N 53°50′29″E
`Attab	عتاب	23°09′14″N 53°52′46″E
Shah	شاه	23°08′33″N 53°54′51″E
Huwaytayn	حويتين	23°06′51″N 53°55′52″E
Sabkhah	صبخة	23°07′50″N 53°59′11″E
Al-Hadhi	الهذي	23°06′57″N 53°59′48″E
Tharwaniyah	ثروانية	23°05′00″N 54°01′00″E
Al Mashrub	المشرب	23°04′00″N 54°01′00″E
An-Nashshash	النشاش	23°05′00″N 54°02′00″E
Dahin	داهن	23°04′00″N 54°05′00″E
Wadhil	واظل	23°03′00″N 54°08′00″E
Mawsil	موصل	23°01′00″N 54°09′00″E
Al-Khis	الخيس	23°00′00″N 54°12′00″E
Quwaysah	قويسة	22°59′00″N 54°14′00″E
Hamim	حميم	22°58′00″N 54°18′00″E
Jurayrah	جريرة	22°57′00″N 54°19′00″E
Mahdar Bin `Usayyan	مهدر بن عصيان	22°56′00″N 54°19′00″E

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An important traditional branch of the economy is date farming. There is a widespread use of drip irrigation and greenhouses. The importance of tourism is on the rise. There are several hotels in the area including the Liwa Hotel in Muzayri`, Tilal Liwa Hotel, the Liwa Rest House in the same village and run by the government of Abu Dhabi, and the resort Qasr Al Sarab.^[5]

The nearby Moreeb dune (22°59′N 53°47′E), 22 kilometres (14 miles) south of Muzayri`, is 300 metres (980 feet) high, and is one of the largest dunes in the world. It attracts people every year during the Liwa festival,^[6] where a large number of international and local visitors come to see the off-road and Liwa Moreeb Dune Festival, camel racing events.

The oasis is the place of birth of the ruling families of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. In 1793, the ruling family Al Nahyan moved their residence from Liwa to Abu Dhabi.^[7]

Traditionally, men from Liwa (Bani Yas tribe) were pearl divers on the coast during the summer months. Pearl diving offered an additional source of income.

The British explorer Wilfred Thesiger first arrived in Liwa around mid December 1946 in his first crossing of the Rub' Al Khali (Empty Quarter) desert.^[8][9] This was followed by a second visit by Thesiger in early March 1948 during his second crossing of the Rub' Al Khali (Empty Quarter) desert.^[8][10]

Desert areas east of the Liwa Oasis, in the Rub' Al Khali desert, were the set of the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which was used to represent the desert planet Jakku.^[11]

Desert scenes in the 2020 film Sonic the Hedgehog were filmed in Liwa Oasis.^[12]

Desert scenes of the desert landscape of Liwa was filmed to represent the planet Arrakis in the 2021 film Dune^[13] and 2024 film Dune: Part Two.^[14] Scenes from the 2024 Hindi feature film Bade Miyan Chote Miyan were also filmed here.

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  The desert in the outskirts of Liwa Oasis
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  Sand dunes overlooking Liwa Oasis
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  Desert around Liwa
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  Liwa desert
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  Road to Tal Moreeb
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  Qasr Al Sarab in Liwa
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  Mezairaa Fort
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  Arabian sand gazelle in Liwa

• Liwa Moreeb Dune Festival
• Moreeb Dune
• Al Ain Oasis