Dataset of typical terminal lake and surrounding oasis outlines in arid/semi-arid endorheic basins based on remote sensing data

Terminal lakes and surrounding oases are critical investigating water resource sustainability in arid and semi-arid endorheic basins. However, comprehensive long-term datasets for monitoring these remain scarce. Based on optical remote sensing imagery and land use data, we constructed a dataset using a combination of optical remote sensing indexes and manual corrections, covering 1985 to 2022 and showcasing outlines of typical terminal lakes and surrounding oases in arid/semi-arid endorheic basins. Encompassing the terminal lakes and surrounding oases of 12 inland rivers worldwide, this dataset achieves the verification accuracy of the terminal lakes and oases being 89.18% and 87.53% respectively, and the kappa coefficients being 0.8569 and 0.8614 respectively (as verified against Google Earth historical images). It provides researchers with a valuable tool for analyzing long-term deformation and area variations in these terminal lakes and surrounding oases. Furthermore, it facilitates the identification of sustainable development strategies in these basins, especially in the context of the combined impacts of climate change and human activities.