[3] To a large extent it follows the 500-m contour of the surrounding landscape, ergs mostly being confined to basins.

[9] In the NASA images, the light-blue spots in the valleys between the dunes (which are red from iron oxide) are sabkhah, or salt flats, left after the evaporation of accumulated water.

[10] Neolithic artifacts, sculptures and paintings have been found in the Issouane Erg[11] from the Kiffian culture.

Trans-Saharan mercantile routes passed through the region, The most popular of which connected Tripoli to Taghaza.

The Issaouane Erg contains oil; the Tifernine oilfield is explored by the Algerian state oil company Sonatrach, which began developing the oilfield with foreign assistance,[12] including from Korea[13] and Spain (Repsol signed an agreement to invest and explore in 1990).