Aventuras en el desierto del Sahara en Egipto

The Sahara Desert is the largest hot desert in the world. In Arabic, it is known as “Al Sahara Al Kubra,” meaning “The Great Desert.” Covering nearly 9.4 million square kilometers (3.63 million square miles), it is roughly the size of the United States. The Sahara stretches across North Africa, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Red Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Sahel (a semi-arid tropical savannah belt) to the south. Within the Sahara, you’ll find regions such as the Western Sahara, the Tadrart Desert, the Libyan Desert, the Ahaggar Mountains, the Tibesti Mountains, and the Air Mountains.

Geographically, the Sahara divides Africa into two regions: Sub-Saharan Africa and Northern Africa. Most of the desert’s terrain consists of rocky plains, with a smaller portion covered by vast sand dunes. Thousands of years ago, the Sahara was a much wetter region. Evidence of this past includes rock engravings of crocodiles and dinosaur fossils found in places like Algeria, and even whale fossils discovered in Wadi El Hitan (Whale Valley) in Egypt’s desert.

In modern times, vegetation is sparse, with the Nile River Valley, a few oases, and regions near the Mediterranean Sea being the primary areas of greenery. The Sahara spans across multiple countries, including Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan, and Tunisia. The desert landscape is largely shaped by wind, although the minimal rainfall also influences its form. Aside from the Nile, rivers and streams are seasonal, with the desert?s size having expanded even further south during the last glacial period.

The Sahara’s climate is among the harshest in the world. Sandstorms and dust devils are common due to strong north-easterly winds. Rainfall is extremely rare, with some areas receiving less than 1 inch of rain per year, while others get no more than 4 inches annually. When rain does occur, it can be intense, especially after long dry spells.

As for the flora and fauna, dromedary camels and goats are the most common domesticated animals in the desert. Wild animals include scorpions, foxes, antelopes, gazelles, cheetahs, lizards, vipers, and wild dogs. A few plant species, such as acacia trees, palm trees, and shrubs, also thrive in the desert?s extreme conditions.