Liwa Oasis


The Liwa Oasis is a large oasis area in the Western Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.

Geography

Liwa Oasis is about south of the Persian Gulf coast and southwest of the city of Abu Dhabi, on the northern edge of Rub' al Khali desert. It is centered around and stretches about 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 and west. According to the census of population of 2005, the population was 20,196. Earlier estimates judging from satellite images which gauged the population at 50,000 to 150,000, were too high. 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 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. south of the border, and 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

The USGS Geographic Names Database lists 39 populated places in the area of the oasis, which are listed from west to east in the following table.
VillageArabicCoordinates
`Aradahعرادة
Milqatahملقطة
Al-`Iddالعيد
Al-Mariyah al-Gharbiyahالمارية الغربية
Humarحمار
Khannurخنور
Hamarurحمرور
Taraqطرق
Mujibمجيب
Kayyahجيه
Zuwayhirظويهر
Wafdوفد
Umm al Quraynأم القرين
Qutufقطوف
Al-Atirالعاطر
Al-Mariyahالمارية
Dhafeerظفير
Jayfجيف
Muzayriمظيري
Nafirنافر
Huwaylahحويلة
Qurmidahقرمدة
Hafifهفيف \ حفيف
`Attabعتاب
Shahشاه
Huwaytaynحويتين
Sabkhahصبخة
Al-Hadhiالهذي
Tharwaniyahثروانية
Al Mashrubالمشرب
An-Nashshashالنشاش
Dahinداهن
Wadhilواظل
Mawsilموصل
Al-Khisالخيس
Quwaysahقويسة
Hamimحميم
Jurayrahجريرة
Mahdar Bin `Usayyanمهدر بن عصيان

Economy

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.
The nearby Moreeb dune, south of Muzayri`, is high, and is one of the largest dunes in the world. It attracts people every year during the Liwa festival, where a large number of international and local visitors come to see the off-road and Dune Festival">Dune (2021 film)">Dune Festival, camel racing events.

History

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.
Traditionally, men from Liwa 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 desert. This was followed by a second visit by Thesiger in early March 1948 during his second crossing of the Rub' Al Khali desert.

In popular culture

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.
Desert scenes in the 2020 film Sonic the Hedgehog were filmed in Liwa Oasis.
Desert scenes of the desert landscape of Liwa was filmed to represent the planet Arrakis in the 2021 film Dune and 2024 film Dune: Part Two. Scenes from the 2024 Hindi feature film Bade Miyan Chote Miyan were also filmed here.