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Photo Inspiration for
AERO 15
Al Kufrah Oasis, Libya
Green circles in the desert frequently indicate tracts of agriculture supported by center-pivot irrigation. The Al Khufrah Oasis in southeastern Libya (near the Egyptian border) is one of Libya’s largest agricultural projects, and is an easy-to-recognize landmark for orbiting astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
Because only about 2 percent of Libya’s land receives enough rainfall to be cultivated, this project uses fossil water from a large underground aquifer. The Libyan government also has a plan called the "Great Man Made River" to pump and transport these groundwater reserves to the coast to support Libya’s growing population and industrial development.
Photo taken in
February 10, 2006
Envisat
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