The Sahara desert covers around 9,000,000 square kilometers and the overall area is as large as the continental United States. The Sahara desert also has the reputation of being the world ’s largest
hot desert!
The landforms in this desert often undergo constant change.
These landforms are shaped as per the direction of the wind and the occasional rainfalls.Although being a desert area, one can notice annual rainfall in many regions of this vast land area. There are different climates witnessed in different regions such as the subtropical climate in
the northern land where as a tropical climate in the southern area.
Over the years, the climate of the Sahara desert has undergone humungous changes. This desert therefore, is known for its harsh climates so typical of all deserts!
This hot desert has annual temperatures that can exceed 30 degrees C. Some of the hottest months have temperatures
exceeding 50 degrees C. In the winters, the temperatures drop below freezing points. This itself explains the diverse climates of this hot desert.
Studies have revealed the changing size of the Sahara desert!
Observations made with the help of satellite photographs have proven this desert can shrink or even grow in size.
The Sahara desert is home to quite a few species of animals.Camels and goats are the only ones amongst the domesticated
animals one may see out here. Apart from these, the Saharan cheetah, the sand vipers, scorpions and monitor lizards can be found out here.
This desert has some of the tallest sand dunes and these can reach 189 meters in height. The land area also has stone plateaus,large gravel plains, dry valleys and even sand flats.
The Sahara desert has around 500 species of flora. These consist of mainly ephemeral plants known locally as Acheb. At some oases, close to the Nile Valley, one can find olive trees growing out
here. Vegetation is found in areas where the ground water reaches the surface of the land.
This place has mainly nomadic groups of people that move from place to place. Nomads wear a particular headdress known as Howli. These people are mainly engaged in trading and hunting.
The low population is due to the rather difficult conditions seen in the Sahara desert.
The Sahara desert stretches over areas of Northern Africa, from the Red Sea to the areas close to the outskirts of the Atlantic
Ocean. This desert shares it boundaries with the Atlas Mountains,the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt, Sudan and valley of the Niger River.
Emi Koussi is the highest peak that is seen in the Tibesti Mountains.This peak has a height of 3415 m.Farming is being practiced in certain areas of the Sahara desert with the help of drought-resistant plants. Some areas of this land have been transformed in order to prevent soil erosion.
This mysterious and vast place also has some of the most magnificent landscapes and despite harsh weather, it has attracted people to study details associated with the Sahara desert. This
desert is more than a hot and dry place, it is one of the most remarkable areas known to man!
