Exploring the Libyan Desert

Abstract

In the time of the Greeks, Egypt, which was formed in the Nile Valley, was generally considered part of Asia, and only the desert known as Libya, which stretched west of the fertile lands, was considered the third continent of the world. The term Africa ("frost-free"), as it is used today, came into public consciousness much later, through the Romans. Originally, this name meant only North Africa, and only centuries later did it begin to refer to the entire landmass, starting from the western coast of the Sinai Peninsula. In Egypt, the areas west of the Nile are still known as the Libyan Desert (between the great river and the Red Sea lies the Arabian Desert).