|
|
|
| IMPORTANT FACTS ON SAHARA DESERT |
|
|
The Sahara Desert is the largest desert in the world and is about 1600 km wide and about 5000 km long from east to west. The Sahara Desert is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, the Atlas Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea in the North, the Red Sea and Egypt in the east, and the Sudan and the valley of the Niger River in the south. The land is presently almost entirely without rainfall or surface water but possesses a number of underground rivers that flow fast from the Atlas and other mountains. Occasionally the waters of these rivers find their way seeping to the surface; which is called oasis. In these naturally irrigated oases, plants grow freely. The soil of this region of the Sahara is highly fertile and, where irrigation is possible, produces excellent crops.
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. 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 is home to quite a few species of animals. The Sahara desert has around 500 species of flora. This place has mainly nomadic groups of people that move from place to place in search of better living conditions.
|
|
|
|
| © Copyright Reserved Sahara-desert.net | |
|
