A wadi is a dry riverbed that only contains water during times of heavy rain.
The term "Wadi" is very widely found in Arabic place names. Wadis tend to be associated with centers of human population because of the availability of sub-surface water.
In English the term "Wadi" is sometimes used interchangeably with "oasis", which is correct linguistically, although many geographers and cartographers consider it an inaccurate usage.
Crossing wide wadis at certain times of the year can be very dangerous, because of unexpected flash floods. Such flash floods cause numerous deaths each year in Saudi Arabia.
The North African equivalent term is oued, although it is also used to refer to true rivers.
List of Wadis
- Wadi Alei
- Wadi Alfa
- Wadi Allaqi, Aswan, Egypt
- Wadi Allaqi, Sudan
- Wadi abu-Hasah
- Wadi Alaui in Al Bahr a Ahmar
- Wadi Alku , Darfur, Sudan
- Wadi Arabah
- Wadi ash Sharqiyah, Sudan
- Wadi ash Shuqayq in Sudan
- Wadi al-Joz (cutting through Jerusalem)
- Wadi Digla
- Wadi El Assuti
- Wadi Elei
- Wadi el-Gaab
- Wadi Hadhramaut
- Wadi Kufra , Libya
- Wadi Matruh
- Wadi ar-Rabsia
- Wadi El Rayan
