Błędów Desert

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Błędów Desert (Polish: Pustynia Błędowska) is a desert in Upper Silesian Industry Area (Poland / European Union). Area 32 km².

It is the only desert in Poland. It was created as an 'accidental' byproduct of urbanization in that area, especially mining, but very important was the specific geological structure - average thickness of sand layer is about 40 meters (maximum 70 m!) which made fast and deep drainage very easy. In the recent years the desert has started to shrink. The phenomenon of mirages has been known to exist there.^{[citation needed]}

During the Second World War the desert was used by the German Afrika Korps for training and testing for equipment before deployment in Africa.

[edit] External links

• (Polish) Błędów Desert (to view the photo gallery, scroll down the page!)
• (Polish) Błędów Desert in Polish Wikipedia