| Waw an Namus | |
|---|---|
 Waw An Namus, viewed from the Space Shuttle, 25 October 1992 |
|
| Elevation | 547 metres (1,795 feet) |
| Location | Libya |
| Coordinates | |
| Type | Caldera and volcanic field |
| Last eruption | Unknown |
Waw an Namus (also spelled Wau-en-Namus, Arabic: واو الناموس - Oasis of Mosquitoes) is a volcanic field, cone and caldera in the southern region of Libya, in the near-geographic center of the Sahara Desert. The inside of the caldera houses rich foliage and three small salt lakes of variable color which are the reason for the volcano's name. An apron of dark basaltic tephra extends 10-20 km around the caldera. Its vast size allows it to be easily seen from space. Some anthropologists attribute the rise of iron utilization by the Nok Civilization to iron deposits found near the southwestern face of this geologic structure. Waw an Namus is an increasingly popular local tourist attraction.
