grude and I live in a place where almost everything more than a hijab or niqab is called a burqa, including stuff that is more likely a chador or an abaya. It gets called burqa (not by me, by the locals). But we do have some true burqa-wearers.
Also we don’t live in the desert, so any benefits from the desert are not necessarily benefits here (tropical humid island). I also cannot see how they can be comfortable when they’re worn on top of jeans and long sleeved shirts. I’m a woman and I sit next to them when we ride the bus, so I get to notice the fringes of their shirts or pants.
Hijabs are way more common here, especially in combination with some modern, stylish yet conservative outfit.