Edge of the World
세상의 끝 (투와이크 절벽)
Edge of the World is a dramatic cliff in the Tuwaiq Escarpment, about 100 kilometres northwest of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Here the ground suddenly stops. Sheer limestone cliffs drop about 300 metres to a wide desert plain that stretches out to the horizon.
See it on the 3D globe →At a glance
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
- Location
- near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Quick answers
Where is Edge of the World?
Edge of the World is in near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
A dramatic break in the Tuwaiq Escarpment northwest of Riyadh, where sheer limestone cliffs drop to an endless desert plain.
The escarpment was shaped by movements of the Arabian tectonic plate and by erosion. The plain below is an ancient seabed, so when you stand at the brink you are looking at a place that was once underwater. The cliff is one of the most popular tourist spots near Riyadh, with huge views over the desert. Wikipedia lists the cliff's height as 1,131 metres.
How the cliff was made
Movements of the Arabian plate lifted and tilted layers of rock. The hard Jurassic limestone of the Tuwaiq Mountain forms the upper edge of the long escarpment, which is a steep slope with high ground on one side and low ground on the other. The ground below the cliffs is an ancient ocean bed. Wind and rain have kept wearing away the edge ever since.
A cliff full of oil clues
Scientists study the Tuwaiq limestone for a surprising reason. Rocks of the same Jurassic age lie deep underground in the region, and they make up one of the largest petroleum reservoirs in the world. A laser survey at the escarpment near Riyadh helped researchers from Saudi Aramco build 3-D models of how such rock is arranged, which helps them plan how to produce oil from it.
Fun facts
- The cliffs drop about 300 metres to the desert below.
- The plain below was once an ancient sea floor.
- Scientists scanned the cliff with lasers to study oil-bearing rock.
- It lies only about 100 kilometres from Riyadh.
On the globe
The model shows the break in the escarpment where limestone cliffs fall to a desert plain.
Nearby on the globe
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14