dasht

Dasht is a Persian term that translates roughly as plain, flat land, or desert. In geographic usage it is a common element in place names across Iran and surrounding regions, signaling broad expanses of low-relief terrain. Prominent examples that use this element include Dasht-e Kavir (the Great Salt Desert) and Dasht-e Lut (the Lut Desert), which are among the largest arid areas in the world.

Geographically, a dasht describes wide, open landscapes that are typically flat or gently undulating. These areas are often arid or semiarid, with sparse rainfall and limited vegetation. Soils can vary from salt flats to wind-blown sands, and surface features may include playas, dunes, or barren plains. Climate conditions on dashts tend toward extreme temperatures, with hot summers and cold winters in many locations. Water sources are scarce, making human settlement and agriculture heavily dependent on irrigation or pastoral practices.

In toponymy and cultural context, dasht functions as a descriptive base in many place names, reflecting the landscape rather than a distinct political unit. The term appears in several languages of the region and can also appear as part of personal or family names in some contexts. While not a standalone place itself, it denotes a widespread geographical category that characterizes large desert and plain regions across Iran and neighboring areas.