The Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) announced on Wednesday the selection and nomination of the Waba Crater as one of the top 100 geological heritage sites in the world for 2024.
This distinction was bestowed by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Also known as the Tamiya Quarry, or scientifically as the Al-Mar Volcano, the crater is located in Hurrat Khishb, about 270 km northeast of Jeddah,
SGS official spokesperson Tariq Abaalkhail said the selection came after an evaluation by a committee of 89 global experts, where the crater was chosen from among 174 nominated sites submitted by 64 countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United States, Italy, Canada, New Zealand, China, Iceland, Egypt, and Finland, among others.
The Waba Crater is considered one of the largest and most magnificent volcanic craters in the world and one of the largest dry Al-Mar volcanoes globally, Abaalkhail added.
It is part of a monogenetic volcanic field that includes 175 small volcanoes, with ages ranging from 2 million to a few hundred thousand years, covering an area of approximately 6,000 square kilometers.
The crater itself was formed about 1.1 million years ago, with a depth of around 250 meters and a diameter of 2.3 kilometers, which is about three times the average diameter of other volcanoes, he explained. It also contains a saline basin or shallow lake formed due to the accumulation of rainwater.
The Waba Crater, along with the other selected geological sites worldwide, is an inspiring destination that contributes to the promotion of geological tourism and the development of geological sciences, providing unique opportunities to disseminate knowledge in the field of earth sciences, he remarked.
