30°27′12.27″N65°24′25.58″E / 30.4534083°N 65.4071056°E /30.4534083; 65.4071056
_en_1969.jpg)
TheRegistan Desert (Persian:ریگستان orBalochi:رݔکستان), also known asSistan Desert, is an extremely arid plateau region located betweenHelmand andKandahar provinces in the south-easternAfghanistan. It is a sandy desert consisting of small, red sand hills about 50–100 feet (15–30 m) high, sand-covered plains, and open rocky and clay-covered areas. The underlying base of the hills consists of partly stabilized ancient transverse dunes, reflecting a west-to-east wind and nearly unlimitedsand supply. The desert is very sparsely populated byBaluch andPashtun nomads. The desert isgradually encroaching on surrounding agricultural areas.[1]
A severe drought in 1998 caused the displacement of approximately 100,000nomadic people from the Registan desert region.[2] Most of them now live in temporary settlements between theArghandab andHelmand Rivers and Registan. A large number are also being supported by the UN in camps forinternally displaced persons (IDPs) inKandahar Province. The UN is currently seeking strategies to return the nomads to their traditional livelihood of raising livestock in Registan. The Registan Desert is migrating westward, encroaching on former agricultural areas. TheUnited Nations Environment Programme team reports that "up to 100 villages have been submerged by windblown dust and sand". In the country's northwest, sand dunes are moving onto agricultural land, their path cleared by the loss of stabilizing vegetation due to firewood gathering andovergrazing. The UNEP team observed sand dunes nearly 50 feet (15 meters) high blocking roads, forcing residents to establish new routes.[3]