The Sahara is the largest desert in the world. This is interesting: the Sahara is not the largest desert in the world

What is the first association with the word "desert"? Most likely - the Sahara. But you shouldn't consider yourself trivial. The Sahara is truly the largest desert in the world. Its area is 8.5 million km². For comparison, this is something between Canada and Brazil - a whole land of sand. The Sahara passes through 10 countries and makes up 30% of all Africa.

The inhabitants of the Sahara are Bedouins and Berbers. "Bedouin" from Arabic means "inhabitant of the desert", and "Berber" from Greek means "free man". And a person in the desert can really be called free - he is cut off from big cities, has few things and is not attached to them, and in everyday life he is not fussy.

After the conquest of Africa by the Muslim Arabs, the Bedouins came from the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th century and settled in the Sahara. You need to understand that Bedouins are not a nationality or a people in the conventional sense. Bedouins - just common name given to them by the Europeans. So, for example, in Africa, peoples who have nothing to do with the Arabs who conquered the Sahara, too, over time began to refer themselves to the Bedouins.

Another common misconception is that all Bedouins roam. Immediately, a caravan appears, eternally walking along the spit of sand. Now this is not the case for a long time, and in the past there were permanent settlements in the mountain valleys, where they bred utensils and were engaged in agriculture.

Modern Bedouin Photo: Daria Orlova

Berbers also stood out as an ethnic group after the Arab conquests of the 7th century. Many tribes fled from the Arabs deeper and deeper into the Sahara. Berbers have enough rich story, some scientists believe that their ancestors gave impetus to the development of ancient Egypt. Berbers are more sedentary people, but they also prefer the desert and survive in it due to cattle breeding, agriculture and handicrafts. Most of them live in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.

Tourists come to local remote villages and wonder why Bedouins and Berbers stayed here in the desert. The answer is simple - they are used to freedom and talk about it openly. This is their choice. Nowadays, Bedouin villages in Israel have electricity and a normal toilet, but the overall picture has remained largely unchanged. These are small buildings, pens for camels and sheep, dining rooms with carpets and pillows on the ground.

The most dry place on the ground - in Atacama, the lowest air humidity was recorded - 0%. The desert is in the highlands in South America, mostly in Chile. Its relief resembles the surface of Mars.

The phenomenal aridity is due to several conditions at once: thin air, the Andes, which does not allow precipitation, and the Peruvian current, which increases the temperature with increasing altitude (as a rule, the opposite happens - with increasing altitude, the temperature decreases).

If the Sahara can be called the largest desert in the world, then the Atacama can be safely given primacy in age. Scientists believe that the South American desert appeared about 20 million years ago. Antarctica, the second "oldest", was formed only 10-11 million years ago.

The desert is inhabited by a people consonant with the name - Atacameno. In ancient times, they were nomadic and hunted. Later, the Atacameños took up farming and moved around seasonally. And already closer to the beginning of our era, the population of the Atacama became completely sedentary. Their main activity is focused on breeding llamas and growing corn.

A woman of the Atacameño people photo: svoiludi.ru Historians believe that the Atacameños formed their own city-state of Tastil, which in the 15th century was defeated by the Incas and the people of the desert had to move inland. The inhabitants of the Atacama spoke the language of Koons, which, unfortunately, is now considered extinct. Everything living population, whose population is estimated at only two thousand, speaks Spanish, lives in several small villages, as well as in tourist center- San Pedro de Atacama.

Now the city is surviving on the flow of tourists who come to visit the driest desert on the planet. There are two attractions near the city - the Likankabur volcano and salt Lake, the only body of water that does not dry out in the desert.

Kyzylkum

The desert, in the center of which is the city of Uchkuduk, famous for the song of the Yalla group. The desert itself is located on the territory of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and its area is 300 thousand km².

The weather conditions in Kyzyl Kum are not pleasant and easy. There is 100-200 mm of precipitation per year, and average temperature in July it reaches +30 ° С.

The people, mainly inhabiting Kyzylkum, are ancient Kazakhs and Turkmens. At first, the peoples settled the desert along the rivers, and then they discovered that in this area it was possible to dig holes for wells and get water in this way.

Archaeological excavations have shown that the inhabitants of the desert were also engaged in agriculture. Springs (in the local “bulaki”) flowing out from under the granite rocks moistened the earth. Until now, in some parts of Kazakhstan in the desert, they are engaged in "bullock" farming.

Modern kibitki photos: wikiway

The locals lived in wagons - houses wrapped in felt. In the summer, this saved them from temperature changes, and in the winter they were sheathed with felt, a material made of felted sheep's wool. The koshma served as both a warm floor and a bed.

Until now, many locals live in wagons. In fact, doing the same thing that their ancestors did millennia ago. In Soviet times, wheat was actively grown on the territory of Kyzyl Kum, but now there can be no question of that volume. The region's economy is in stagnation. From this there is no developed infrastructure, respectively, there are no tourists.

When we come across the question "The biggest desert" in scanwords, we smartly enter the word "Sahara" into the boxes. Certainly! Who has not heard of the Sahara? We were told at school that there are no more deserts than her.

Its area is 9 million square kilometers... To give you an idea, let's compare the Sahara with different countries the world.

We'll use circles for simplicity. Here are some countries we know - France, Germany, Georgia, Ukraine, South Korea and Turkey:

As you can see, Turkey looks like a kind of "strong man" here. But what will happen if we put the Sahara on this diagram?

The area of this red circle is even larger than the total area of all countries under the blue circles. And if now you understand that the Sahara is really huge, then ... Wait.

I was actually joking. The red circle is not the Sahara yet. This is India. Yes, yes, the very country in which 1.4 billion (!) People live.

The Sahara is even larger, although its territory housed 560 times fewer people than in India:

Now all the scales are met. This is what an area of 9 million square kilometers looks like. This is so much that it is approximately equal to the area of the United States, China or Canada:

And do you know what I want to tell you after that?

There is a desert in the world that is even larger than the Sahara

In general, when we hear the word "desert", then, first of all, we imagine sand, dunes, heat. Well, maybe another Arab on a camel.

In fact, there are very different deserts - sandy (like the Sahara), clayey, stony ... And there are also arctic ones.

Just like in the sandy desert, there is almost no life, there is almost no rainfall, it is very dry and the terrain is flat.

The world's largest desert is the Great Antarctic Desert, located in Antarctica. It is 1.5 times the size of the Sahara:

In numbers, this is almost 14 million square kilometers, which is more than China, the United States and Canada. There is only one "hero" capable of conquering this square - our mother Russia:

The difference between them is "trifling", only 3 million km2. So the Antarctic Desert is quite comparable to Russia. Now imagine ...

If you have traveled a lot in our country, then you understand how "unimaginable" its expanses are. From Vladivostok to Sochi, From Murmansk to Makhachkala. Mountains, steppes, forests, taiga, tundra, arctic, volcanoes, deserts ... My God, what we just do not have!

And somewhere there, on the other side of the Earth, there is a territory of about the same size, only there is nothing on it. Nothing at all, except for the snow-white silence and frost at -30 * C - this is summer. And in winter and under -80 * C.

There are no insects (the only plus, as for me), no mammals. Several species of plants, several species of birds (penguins) and lichen live there. Perhaps that's all. And this is on a territory the size of Russia!

There are areas where there has been no snow for 8 million years and winds blow at 320 km / h even in frost -50 * C! It's here:

Dry Valleys McMurdo is the territory of a number of snowless valleys-Antarctic oases (Victoria, Wright, Taylor) in Victoria Land in Antarctica west of McMurdo Strait. This is the largest (about 8 thousand km²) ice-free area in Antarctica. Katabatic winds, reaching speeds of up to 320 km / h (the highest wind speed on Earth), cause moisture to evaporate. Due to this, the valleys are practically free of ice and snow for about 8 million years, which makes geological and other research convenient. According to the Antarctic Treaty, the McMurdo Dry Valleys are designated as Specially Protected Areas. Dry valleys are so close to natural conditions Mars, that NASA conducted tests of the Viking lander there. In more humid places, endolithic plants have been found in the rocks. Despite the absence of ice and snow, the living world is poorer than the rest of the ice continent. In the Taylor Valley is one of the attractions of Antarctica - Blood Falls, which owes its appearance to the activity of anaerobic bacteria, whose metabolism is based on the processing of iron and sulfur. In soil samples taken from the driest and coldest place on Earth - the valley of the University, scientists were unable to detect signs of life.

The Sahara - with 4,000 animal species and several thousand plant species - is just a tropical jungle compared to the Antarctic Desert. This is understandable, because life in Antarctica is definitely not sugar ...

Or rather - Not Sahara :)

The desert is wonderful world, in which, along with the harsh climatic conditions, poor flora and fauna, majesty and mystery reign. These uninhabited spaces, of which there are more than 30, occupy about 16% of the surface. the globe... There are many types of deserts: they can be sandy, clay, shale and others. But the largest desert in the world is covered with a continuous layer of ice.

The largest desert on Earth

A huge area is occupied by the Antarctic Desert, which is the largest on the planet. It covers an area of 13 829 430 sq. km. Its endless expanses are covered with a thick layer of ice. The Antarctic Desert is polar and is located on the southern continent of the planet. She is considered not only the largest, but also the most severe. The climatic conditions of this region are characterized by the following features:

lowest air humidity;
the lowest temperatures on the planet;
strongest constant winds;
the highest intensity of solar radiation.

Due to the extremely harsh conditions, the flora and fauna of the Antarctic Desert is very poor. On its outskirts, close to the coast, there are moss and lichens, among which mites and insects live. The largest inhabitants of the Antarctic Desert are penguins, of which there are several species.

The largest sandy desert located in the subtropical zone is the Sahara. Its endless expanses occupy about 9 million square meters. km, and extend practically throughout the northern part of the African continent. The Sahara is considered the hottest desert on the planet. In summer, the temperature here can reach + 58 ° C, while the surface warms up to + 75 ° C. In winter, the daytime air temperature drops to + 13 ° C, and at night it can reach -18 ° C. Precipitation in the Sahara falls unevenly: severe thunderstorms occur in the northern zones, resulting in floods, and in the southern part of the rain does not fall for years. It is in this part of the desert that the surface is covered with solid sands, on which there is no vegetation.

Drought-resistant grasses, shrubs and trees are found in the Sahara. They grow in areas where there is minimal water supply. Of the animals, there are more than 4 thousand different species of invertebrates and about 60 species of mammals. More than 30 thousand species of birds find refuge in the desert, most of which are migratory.

Huge area earth surface occupies another polar desert - the Arctic. Its area is 2.6 million square meters. km. It is located in the northern part of the world. Its surface is covered with ice, rubble and large boulders. Subzero temperatures stay here for almost a whole year, and only in the middle of summer the air can warm up to + 3 ° C. In winter, the polar night sets in here, which lasts 6 months in the very center of the desert. In the Arctic desert, there are often very thick fogs and strong winds. The sky is often overcast and precipitation is frequent. Of the vegetation, only mosses and lichens are found. The coastal areas are inhabited by such representatives of the fauna as polar bears, lemmings and arctic foxes.

A significant area is occupied by the desert located on the Arabian Peninsula. Its area reaches 2.33 million sq. M. Due to the hot climate, there is little vegetation and very poor fauna. Plants include grasses, shrubs and trees that tolerate drought. The largest animals living in the Arabian Desert are gazelles. Studies have shown that earlier in the territory occupied by the Arabian Desert, forests grew, and there were many bodies of water.

Between the Altai and Tien Shan mountains in Asia, the endless expanses of the Gobi Desert stretch, with an area of 1.3 million square meters. km. Climatic conditions the desert is extremely harsh due to its location in the continental zone. In winter, the air temperature can drop to -50 ° C, and in summer it warms up to + 57 ° C. Due to such a huge range of temperatures, few plants are found in the desert. The fauna is also not diverse. Here you can find small rodents, snakes, antelopes and camels.

About 1 million sq. km of the territory of the Middle East is occupied by the Syrian Desert. It is a rugged region with very poor vegetation, limited to drought-resistant grasses and shrubs. Among the animals there are camels, antelopes and lizards. In the steppe areas of the desert, the vegetation is more diverse, which allows local residents to engage in animal husbandry.

A significant area of the southern part of the African Peninsula is occupied by the Kalahari Desert - 900 thousand square kilometers. The climate here is hot throughout the year. The air temperature in the summer months is kept within + 29 ° C, and in winter it drops to + 12 ° C. The Kalahari has rainfall in summer, which is why drought-resistant plants are found here. The desert is home to many species of animals, ranging from giraffes to insects.

The Patagonian Desert stretches along the coast of the South American continent, with an area of 673 thousand square meters. km. Its surface is covered with sand and gravel. The climate here is dry and cold, due to the Falkland Current. Atlantic Ocean... The average temperature ranges from + 5 ° C to + 13.4 ° C. In certain areas of the desert with high humidity, many species of grasses, shrubs and trees that are resistant to temperature extremes grow. The fauna of the Patagonian Desert is quite diverse.

The vast territory of the Australian continent is occupied by the Victoria Desert, whose area is equal to 647 thousand square meters. km. Thanks to the warm climate, many types of drought-resistant vegetation can be found in the vastness of the desert. The fauna of Victoria is very diverse. Aboriginal tribes are found in the desert.

In the western part of the North American continent there is a desert called the Great Basin. Its area is 492 thousand square meters. km. The surface of the desert is covered with sands and rocky formations. It is home to a variety of drought-resistant vegetation and many animal species.

1. Sugar. 9,065,000 sq. km.

The Sahara Desert is the largest in the world, with an area of over 9 million square meters. km .. It covers almost all of North Africa: Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania, Sudan, Chad, Libya, etc.
The name "Sahara" is an Arabic translation of the Tuareg word for "desert" In summer, the air temperature can rise to 58 °, in winter it is kept within 15-28 ° C.

In the Sahara, as in other sandy deserts, sandstorms are frequent, strong winds can carry sandy dust even to Europe.
More than 150 thousand mirages are observed in the Sahara, which are marked on maps indicating which mirage is most often "shown" in this particular area - an oasis, a river or a well.

There is less rainfall in the south of the Sahara than in the north, there are especially dry periods lasting up to three years, during which there is no rain at all. The only source of water in the Sahara besides rain is the Nile, which crosses it in the east. However, thanks to underground waters in the arid desert, there are oases with deep wells; it is in the oases that hotels for tourists who come to drive around the Sahara in jeeps are located; the most luxurious date palms and sweet grapes grow in the oases.

2. Arabian Desert. 2,330,000 sq. km.

The Arabian Desert is located on the Arabian Peninsula, located in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, occupies part of Iraq, Syria, southern and eastern Jordan. The vast expanses of the Arabian Desert are occupied by moving sand dunes and massifs of sand, in its center is Rub 'al-Kali, one of the largest sand massifs in the world. Much of the territory is uninhabited due to frequent sand and dust storms and strong winds, high temperatures with usual for deserts with large daily amplitudes.The temperature range is 40-50 ° C in summer, the average temperature in winter is 5-15 ° C, although it can drop to 0 ° C.

Most of the desert is occupied by rubble, sandstone and limestone plateaus (khamadi), rising stepwise from west to east. In the east, along the coast of the Red Sea, the Etbay crystalline ridge stretches up to 2000 meters in height. In winter, episodic precipitation falls on its eastern slopes, which caused violent runoff in the usually dry river beds of the valleys. Persisting all year round groundwater runoff supports sparse grass and shrub vegetation and individual trees in the valleys. There were no oases in the 19th-20th centuries, but there were springs and natural cisterns filled with the water of winter rains.

In the mountains of the desert, the ancient Egyptians mined aphanite, diorite and other stones for sarcophagi and sphinxes. Then, in the Jebel Dukhan mountain near the Red Sea, the Romans and Greeks mined red porphyry for making vases, busts, etc. At the end of the 19th century, granite, copper, and emeralds were mined in the mountains. At the end of the 20th century, the population was mainly nomadic livestock breeders, oil and phosphorites were being extracted on the coast of the Red Sea.

3. Gobi. 1,166,000 sq. km.

The Gobi is located in Central Asia, on the territory of Mongolia and China, stretching from the Altai and Tien Shan mountains in the east to the North China plateau in the west; in the north, the Gobi passes into the steppe on the territory of Mongolia, in the south it is bounded by the Yellow River. The word "gobi" is of Mongolian origin and means "a dry place", this word in Central Asia means generally desert and semi-desert places. In aggregate, the Gobi desert is the largest desert in Asia.

The Gobi territory, raised above sea level to an altitude of about 2000-1000 meters, is the most sharply continental place on the planet. The air temperature in summer rises to plus 40 ° С, and in winter it drops to minus 40 ° С. The landscape of the Trans-Altai, Dzungarian, East Mongolian Gobi is diverse, it is not only a waterless and barren area with a sandy plain and high hilly dunes. Despite the arid climate, the desert contains crystal clear water sources and rich animal world... Most of it is occupied by vast flowering steppe plains, picturesque rocky mountains, clayey and stony hamadas, vast hollows with rare oases, hummocks, salt marshes, takyrs, dried gravel saury and long green saxaul groves. The entire landscape resembles African savannas, therefore, sometimes the areas where the Haylas are spread are called Gobi savannas. There are few sands in the Gobi, dune sands occupy only 3% of its territory, but clay and rocky deserts - hamadas - occupy vast areas.

4. Australian desert. 647,000 sq. km.

Deserts got a huge territory of Australia, almost half of the continent. Much of the Australian deserts to the west are located on a huge plateau 200 m above sea level. Some deserts rise even higher, up to 600 m. Difficult relief divides the giant Australian desert into several autonomous ones. The largest of them, the Great Sandy Desert, is located in the northwestern part of the continent, and the vast Great Victoria Desert stretches to the south. In the northern part of the Great Sandy Desert, the sands are red-brown in color, other areas are covered not with sand, but with dark gravel and pebbles.
Among the sandy deserts, the largest is the Arunta Desert, or the Simpson Desert. It is located in the central part of the continent, closer to the west.

5. Kalahari. 600,000 sq. km.

The Kalahari Desert, the largest of the deserts South Africa, covers an area of about 600 thousand square meters. km and is located in Botswana, South Africa and Namibia. The Kalahari Desert occupies the southwestern part of the hollow of the same name, located at an altitude of 900 m. In the west, the Kalahari edge lies at an altitude of 1500 m above sea level, in the east - even higher; the lowest point of the desert is 840 m above sea level. The Kalahari surface is composed of horizontally lying continental strata of sandstones, pebbles and breccias.

Recently, the desert has expanded its boundaries and invaded Angola, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Precipitation (up to 500 mm) is confined to summer season(November - April), but their value fluctuates significantly both in time and in area. The Kalahari is one of the hottest regions in South Africa. The average maximum temperature is plus 29 °, and the average minimum temperature is plus 12 °.

6. Karakum Desert. 350,000 sq. km.

Karakum desert in the south Central Asia, occupies more than 80% of the entire territory of Turkmenistan.
The Karakum in Turkmen means "black sand" (from the Turkic "kara" - black and "kum" - sand. " species of mammals and about three dozen species of birds, plants - about 270 species.

Turkmenbashi's plans were to replace the ugly desert beautiful forest, planting trees in some areas, and it was also planned to build a zoo for penguins on its territory, which would attract visitors from all over the world. Fortunately, after the death of the Father of all Turkmens, nothing has been heard about these plans.

About ten thousand years ago, the territory where the largest desert of our planet, the Sahara, is now located, was covered with grass, low bushes and was densely populated. After our planet slightly changed the inclination of its axis, the climate began to gradually change, it became hot, the rains stopped - and many representatives of the animal world left the formed desert.

The Sahara (in the translation from Arabic - "desert") is the largest desert on our planet, which is located in northern Africa and is located on the territory of ten states. On the geographic map it can be found at the following coordinates: 23 ° 4 ′ 47.03 ″ s. latitude, 12 ° 36 ′ 44.3 ″ E etc.

The Sahara occupies about thirty percent of the African continent, and its area is about 9 million km2:

From east to west, the length of the desert is 4800 km: the Sahara begins at the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and ends at the coast of the Red Sea.
The length of the Sahara from south to north ranges from 800 to 1200 km. The desert begins in the north of the mainland off the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and Atlas Mountains, southern border limited to 16 ° N. sh., in the area of inactive ancient dunes, to the south of which begins the tropical Sahel savanna, a transitional territory between the desert and fertile soils of Sudan.

When exactly the Sahara desert was formed on the territory of the African continent, scientists do not have a unanimous opinion: earlier its age was estimated at 5.5 thousand years, then at four, recently they began to tend to the idea that it was even younger, and its lands became deserted only near three thousand years ago.

The desert is located in the northwest of the stable ancient African platform, so ground shuddering is rarely observed today. In the center of the platform, the relief rises from west to east: one of the largest high-mountain regions of the desert are the Ahaggar and Tibesti plateaus, where, unlike other regions of the Sahara, snow falls briefly almost every year.

From the northern and southern parts of the uplifts - the deflections of the platform, where in the past there was a sea, and therefore the presence of marine sedimentary rocks is characteristic of the soil. In the south of the desert, the trough of the platform has led to the formation of large lakes, which are the main suppliers of fresh water for their region. First of all, we are talking about Lake Chad and the Unianga group of lakes.

Sands occupy only one fourth of the Sahara, while the thickness of the sandy layer is about 150 meters. Stony soil predominates: it occupies about 70% of the desert area, the rest is volcanic mountains, as well as pebble and sandy-pebble soil.

There are also many aquifers (sedimentary rocks with varying degrees of water permeability, the cracks and voids of which are filled with water), which are the main suppliers of water to the oases.

Sometimes fertile lands are found in the desert - mainly near oases that take water from underground rivers and reservoirs, the water of which, due to its own pressure, was able to reach the ground.

On the map of Africa, the Sahara is divided into several regions:

Western Sahara - located in northwest Africa, the territory is characterized by coastal lowlands, which turn into elevated basement plains and plateaus.
The central highlands of Ahaggar - on the map it is located in the south of Algeria, the highest point is Mount Tahat with a height of 2918 meters, so it often snows here in winter.
The Tibesti mountain plateau is located in the center of the desert, in the north of the state of Chad and partly in the south of Libya. Highest point the plateau is the volcano Emi-Kusi with a height of almost 3.5 km, on the top of which snow falls annually.
Desert Tenere - located in the south of the central Sahara. It is a sandy plain with an area of about 400 thousand km2, which is located in the northeastern part of Niger and in the west of Chad.
Libyan Desert - on the map of Africa, it is located in the north and is the driest region of the desert.

Climate

The Sahara is the hottest and hottest place on our planet: not even the driest desert in the world, the Atacama, located in South America, can compare with it.

The weather in summer is extremely hot here: temperature indicators air at this time often exceed 57 ° С, and the sands heat up to 80 ° С. At the same time, the Sahara Desert is one of the few places on our planet where evaporation significantly exceeds the amount of precipitation (with the exception of narrow coastal strips). While the average indicators of precipitation are only 100 mm (while in the center they may not be for several years in a row), from 2 to 5 thousand mm of moisture evaporates.

Conventionally, the Sahara can be divided into two climatic zones, northern (subtropical) and southern (tropical):

The northern part of the desert is characterized by hot summers (up to 58 ° C) and cold winters (especially cold weather in the mountains, where temperatures can drop to -18 ° C). The annual rainfall is 80 mm, rainy weather is here from December to March and in August, with frequent thunderstorms and even severe short-term floods. In winter, snow falls briefly on the high mountain plateaus Ahaggar and Tibesti almost every year.

The south is characterized by mild winters, and rains fall at the end of the hot and dry period. There is little precipitation in mountainous regions, and it goes evenly throughout the whole year. In the lowlands, it rains in the summer, often accompanied by thunderstorms, about 130 mm of precipitation falls per year. In the west, near the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, humidity is higher than in the rest of the Sahara, and there are often fogs here.

The difference between daytime and nighttime air temperatures in the Sahara is often about forty degrees: the average temperature in the center of the desert in July is 35 ° C, while at night the air temperature drops to + 10 or + 15 ° C. The weather here is also warm in winter: the temperature of the coldest month of the year is + 10 ° С (therefore, snow is an extremely rare phenomenon).

The climate of the Sahara is very strongly influenced by constantly blowing strong winds, especially in the north of the desert (only 20 days a year are calm). Winds blow mainly from north to east: the movement of moist air masses of the Mediterranean air stops mountain range Atlas Mountains.

As for the air currents that move from the south, when they reach the central part of the desert, they have time to lose moisture, so the winds in the northern part of the desert are especially destructive. They move at a speed of about 50 m / s and, raising dust, sand, small stones to a height of more than a thousand meters, cause tornadoes and strong sandstorms, often moving the dunes.

Water resources

The only river North Africa that goes through eastern part Sahara towards Mediterranean is the Nile, the length of which is 6852 km (the river is the second longest after the Amazon, and flows through South America).

Since a considerable part of the water evaporates as we move through the desert, its two tributaries, the White and Blue Nile, play an important role, which flow into it in the southeast of the desert (they are very clearly distinguishable on the map). In the 60s of the last century, the Nasser reservoir was created between Egypt and Sudan, the total area of which exceeds 5 thousand km2.

In the south of the Sahara, several river streams flow into Lake Chad, the area of which ranges from 27 to 50 thousand km2 (depending on precipitation in the region), after which part of the water leaves the lake - and the water continues to flow in a northeastern direction, replenishing watersheds.

In the southwest flows the Niger River, which flows into the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean. This river is interesting because it starts almost near the ocean, 240 km from the coast, it flows in the opposite direction, to the Sahara, after which it turns sharply to the right and continues its way in the southeast direction (the shape of the river, if you look at the map of Africa, resembles a boomerang).

In the northern part of the desert, water comes from wadi streams, temporary water flows that appear after heavy rains and flow down from the mountains. Also, wadis feed the soil of the desert in its central part. A lot of rainwater is in the dunes: once in the sand, water seeps down the slopes and flows down.

Under the sands of the desert there are huge pools of groundwater, thanks to which oases are formed (especially in the north of the Sahara, while in the south the aquifers are located deeper).

Another source of water in the largest desert on the planet is located on the outskirts and in mountain ranges relict lakes (remnants of the former seas), often swampy and salty, although freshwater is often found among them (for example, the water of most of the lakes of the Unianga group).

Flora

There is not much vegetation in the Sahara - mainly shrubs, herbs and trees that grow near a natural reservoir, along a wadi or in high-altitude regions, including olives, cypress, dates, thyme, citrus fruits.

In areas where water is scarce, there are only those types of vegetation that tolerate drought well. There are no plants at all in rocky massifs, in places of accumulation of sand.

Fauna

The desert is inhabited by almost 4 thousand representatives of the animal world, most of which are invertebrates. The animals of the Sahara Desert live mainly near the water (they are practically not found in arid regions) and are nocturnal.

Most of the animals are monitor lizards, cobras, lizards, chameleons, snails. Crocodiles, frogs, crustaceans are found in reservoirs. There are about sixty species of mammals, among them - cheetah, spotted hyena, sand fox, mongooses.

The Sahara is home to about 300 species of birds, 50% of them are migratory. These are primarily ostriches, African owl, trumpet and desert crows and others.

Desert and people

Despite its huge area, the desert is hardly inhabited: only 2.5 million people live here. Some peoples are nomadic, but most prefer to settle. People settle only near oases, as well as in the valleys of the Nile and Niger rivers, where, in order to survive on their own and feed livestock, there is enough water and vegetation. At the same time, breeding of cattle: goats and sheep prevails over fishing and hunting.