Lut Desert (Kaluts)
루트 사막 (칼루트)
Hottest ground on Earth: satellites measured a land-surface temperature of 70.7 °C in the Lut in 2005, and later analyses about 80 °C. Its kaluts — wind-carved ridges up to 75 m high — run for over 150 km (UNESCO World Heritage since 2016).
See it on the 3D globe →At a glance
- Country
- Iran
Quick answers
Where is Lut Desert (Kaluts)?
Lut Desert (Kaluts) is in Iran.
The Lut Desert, or Dasht-e Lut, is a desert of salt flats and dunes in the provinces of Kerman and Sistan-Baluchestan in Iran. Its Persian name means "Plain of Emptiness". It is the world's 33rd-largest desert, and UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List on 17 July 2016.
It is best known for its heat. Satellites measured the sand surface at 70.7 degrees Celsius, the highest land-surface temperature known on Earth. Note that this is the ground, not the air, which is cooler. Few plants or animals can live in such heat, so the desert is mostly bare, which fits its Persian name.
Why it is so hot
The word lut means "bare, empty" in Persian and dasht means "plain". With almost no plants and a dark, dry surface, the ground absorbs strong sunlight and heats up. The record of 70.7 °C (159.3 °F) was measured by satellite, not by a person standing on the sand, and it earned the desert a reputation as one of the hottest places on Earth.
Dunes and salt
Lut has both huge salt flats and sand dunes, and it is a place where wind and heat have shaped the land for thousands of years. Few animals and plants live here. In Iran, the area is reported to be closed to tourists in the hottest months, from June to August, and opened only in winter, when it is cool enough to visit.
Fun facts
- Satellites have measured ground temperatures above 70 °C in the Lut, the hottest land surface recorded on Earth.
- The ground here measured 70.7 °C by satellite.
- Its name means "Plain of Emptiness".
- UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 2016.
On the globe
The toy globe marks the Lut Desert in southeastern Iran. Zoom in to see the desert's salt and dunes.
Nearby on the globe
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14