The Saudi Arabian city of Jubba is located in the dried-up basin of an ancient lake, approximately 20 kilometers long, in the Nafud Desert. Satellite images show the settlement as a scattering of bright green circles among sand dunes—farmland fed by hidden groundwater. The site, where waves lapped thousands of years ago, now supports an entire community.

Juba's survival is facilitated by the unique microclimate of a former reservoir up to four kilometers wide. The neighboring mountain, Jabal Umm Sinman, at 1264 meters, plays a key role. Its silhouette resembles a recumbent camel with two humps, hence its name—"mountain with two camel humps."

According to NASA's Earth Observatory, the mountain's massive shape creates a so-called "wind shadow," protecting the settlement from the advancing desert sands. This natural barrier, combined with access to an underground aquifer, has enabled the development of agriculture in one of the driest zones on the planet.

The dried-up basin holds evidence of ancient climate change and demonstrates humans' ability to adapt to extreme conditions, notes the Daily Galaxy.