In north-east, for example, start of virtual desert (5)
I believe the answer is:
negev
'desert' is the definition.
(Negev is an example)
'in north-east for example start of virtual' is the wordplay.
'in' indicates putting letters inside.
'north east' becomes 'ne'.
'for example' becomes 'eg' ('e.g.' can be a synonym of 'for example').
'start of' says to take the initial letters.
The first letter of 'virtual' is 'v'.
'ne' placed around 'eg' is 'nege'.
'nege'+'v'='NEGEV'
(Other definitions for negev that I've seen before include "part of Israel" , "Semi-desert area" , "Desert region in Israel" , "Israeli desert area abutting Sinai" , "Southern Israeli desert" .)