A barren region is an area of land that is largely devoid of vegetation and other forms of life. The term can be used to describe a DESERT, WASTELAND, or WASTE. A DESERT is a dry, often sandy region with little or no vegetation. A WASTELAND is an area of land that has been damaged by human activities such as mining or deforestation, and is now unable to support life. A WASTE is an area of land that has been abandoned and is no longer used for its original purpose. All three terms refer to areas of land that are largely uninhabitable due to their lack of resources.