Wasteland

Wasteland is a broad term used to describe land that is barren, desolate, or degraded and is applied in geography, ecology, and culture. It can refer to areas where vegetation is sparse due to natural factors such as drought, soil degradation, or climate, as well as to landscapes made unproductive by human activity, including mining, warfare, urban sprawl, or pollution.

In ecological and land-management contexts, wastelands may be natural desert or semi-arid zones, or urban brownfields and post-industrial sites where soil contamination or disturbance has reduced ecosystem functions. Some wastelands remain permanent features of the landscape, while others are temporary and may recover through ecological succession or restoration efforts, such as soil remediation, revegetation, or repurposing for parks, housing, or renewable-energy installations.

In culture and media, Wasteland has been used as a title for various works. Notably, the 1988 post-apocalyptic role-playing video game Wasteland, followed by sequels Wasteland 2 (2014) and Wasteland 3 (2020). The game influenced later titles in the genre, including the Fallout series. The term also appears in documentary and film contexts, such as the 2010 documentary Wasteland, directed by Lucy Walker, which follows artists photographing waste pickers at a Rio de Janeiro landfill. The concept is commonly associated with post-apocalyptic fiction and art.

The term is distinct from The Waste Land, a famous 1922 poem by T. S. Eliot.