Sahara | Location, History, Map, Countries, Animals, & Facts

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data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sahara-desert-Africa">Sahara</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa">Introduction & Top Questions</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref37009"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa#ref37009">Physical features</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref37010"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa#ref37010">Physiography</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref37011"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/Drainage">Drainage</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref37012"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/Drainage#ref37012">Soils</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref37013"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/Climate">Climate</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref37014"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/Plant-life">Plant life</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref37015"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/Animal-life">Animal life</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref37016"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/People">People</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref37017"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/Economy">Economy</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref37018"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/Economy#ref37018">Resources</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref37019"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/Economy#ref37019">Transportation</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref37020"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/Study-and-exploration">Study and exploration</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Sahara-desert-Africa">Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/images-videos">Images & Videos</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/10/152310-050-5A09D74A/Sand-dunes-Sahara-Morocco-Merzouga.jpg" data-href="/media/1/516375/160278" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/10/152310-004-AE62B6B8/Sand-dunes-Sahara-Morocco-Merzouga.jpg" alt="sand dunes" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/67/3867-050-F385E388/Sahara-world-most-part-Africa.jpg" data-href="/media/1/516375/61717" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/67/3867-004-E8505AD3/Sahara-world-most-part-Africa.jpg" alt="Sahara" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/71/5371-050-7ECF1350/Sahara.jpg" data-href="/media/1/516375/200" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/71/5371-004-DA20F472/Sahara.jpg" alt="The Sahara." height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/09/152309-050-5E0B2A42/Sahara-Morocco.jpg" data-href="/media/1/516375/160279" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/09/152309-004-B86402CF/Sahara-Morocco.jpg" alt="Sahara" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/59849-050-E8310ECE/Mountains-plateau-landscape-Ahaggar-Algeria-Sahara.jpg" data-href="/media/1/516375/67096" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/59849-004-8F2CD2EE/Mountains-plateau-landscape-Ahaggar-Algeria-Sahara.jpg" alt="Algeria: geography" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/106048-050-82819507/Sand-dunes-Sahara-Morocco.jpg" data-href="/media/1/516375/108282" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/106048-120-A097ADC4/Sand-dunes-Sahara-Morocco.jpg" alt="sand dunes" height="50" /> </a> <a href="/video/Overview-impact-Sahara-discussion-desert-climate-change/191523" data-href="/media/1/516375/191523" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <div class="position-relative --aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/36/179436-138-753EDB64/Overview-impact-Sahara-discussion-desert-climate-change.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="How climate change is turning the Sahara green" class="col-100" /> <div class="btn btn-sm btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; left:50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%)"> <em class="material-icons font-14" data-icon="play_arrow" > </em> </div> </div> </a> <a href="/video/Overview-desert-sand-climate-effects-focus-Sahara/191527" data-href="/media/1/516375/191527" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <div class="position-relative --aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/39/179439-138-760C25F3/Overview-desert-sand-climate-effects-focus-Sahara.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="How does desert dust from the Sahara affect global climate?" class="col-100" /> <div class="btn btn-sm btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; left:50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%)"> <em class="material-icons font-14" data-icon="play_arrow" > </em> </div> </div> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/140872-050-69F26783/field-colocynth-fruit-apple-Sahara-desert.jpg" data-href="/media/1/516375/145752" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/140872-004-AF97CA5C/field-colocynth-fruit-apple-Sahara-desert.jpg" alt="colocynth" height="50" /> 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tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/summary/Sahara-desert-Africa"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/5383-050-E3260340/oasis-Kerzaz-Wadi-Saoura-Algeria-western-Sahara.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Kerzaz oasis on Wadi Saoura, western Sahara, Algeria." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/summary/Sahara-desert-Africa" >Sahara summary</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-related-quizzes"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Quizzes </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/africas-physical-features"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/38/153438-131-03131498/Mount-Kenya.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Mount Kenya in Mount Kenya National Park is the highest mountain in Africa. 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(pack animal; sand; Morocco; Africa; African desert; mammal; dromedary; drought)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/quick-quiz-deserts" >Quick Quiz: Deserts</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-related-questions"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 pb-0 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-15"> Related Questions </div> <ul> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/What-is-the-climate-of-the-Sahara-Desert">What is the climate of the Sahara Desert?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/How-did-the-Sahara-get-its-name">How did the Sahara get its name?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/Can-plants-and-animals-survive-in-the-Sahara-Desert">Can plants and animals survive in the Sahara Desert?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/Do-people-live-in-the-Sahara-Desert">Do people live in the Sahara Desert?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/What-is-the-modern-economy-of-the-Saharan-Desert-like">What is the modern economy of the Saharan Desert like?</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-read-next"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Read Next </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/how-do-deserts-form"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/151657-131-A74A72C8/Camel-caravan-desert-sand-dunes-Sahara-North.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Camel caravan moving across the Sahara desert sand dunes, Morocco, North Africa" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/how-do-deserts-form" >How Do Deserts Form?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/8-amazing-physical-features-of-africa"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/80/141580-131-6DA06CD7/Namib-desert-Namibia.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Namib desert, Namibia." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/8-amazing-physical-features-of-africa" >8 Amazing Physical Features of Africa </a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/7-amazing-historical-sites-in-africa"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/126108-131-AAADDF97/Africa-Olduvai-Gorge-fossil-hominins-Tanzania-record.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Olduvai Gorge or Olduwai Gorge, Tanzania, Africa (eastern Serengeti Plain) Where fossil remains of more than 60 hominins provides the most continuous known record of human evolution. 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.desertusa.com/du_sahara.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">DesertUSA - The Sahara Desert, Africa</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.frontiersin.org/news/2017/03/14/did-humans-create-the-sahara-desert" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Frontiers - Did Humans Create the Sahara Desert?</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.livescience.com/23140-sahara-desert.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">LiveScience - The Sahara: Facts, Climate and Animals of the Desert</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Sahara/346205" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sahara - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Sahara/276838" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sahara - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: Ṣaḥārāʾ</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Jeffrey-Allman-Gritzner/3703" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Jeffrey Allman Gritzner</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Professor of Geography; Director, Montana Public Policy Research Institute, University of Montana, Missoula. Author of <i>The West African Sahel: Human Agency and Environmental Change </i>and others.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Jeffrey Allman Gritzner</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Ronald-Francis-Peel/2273" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Ronald Francis Peel</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Professor of Geography, University of Bristol, England, 1957–77. Chairman, Commission on Arid Lands, International Geographical Union. Author of <i>Physical Geography.</i></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Ronald Francis Peel</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-13T00:00:00CST" >Nov 13, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What is the climate of the Sahara Desert?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The Sahara exhibits great climatic variability within its borders, with two major climatic regimes differentiating along a north-south axis: the desert\u2019s northern latitudes are arid subtropical and have two rainy seasons, while the southern ones, although also arid, are more tropical and have only one rainy season. The southern reaches of the Sahara end in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Sahel\">Sahel<\/a>, a semiarid buffer zone that separates the desert from the more temperate savanna biomes beyond. A number of other factors affect climatic variability within the Sahara as well: topography does so, as do ocean currents, the latter of which are responsible for the slightly cooler and more humid conditions found on the desert\u2019s western margins. Some scientists estimate that the Sahara became arid about two to three million years ago, while others contend that it happened before this." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>How did the Sahara get its name?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "In Arabic the Sahara is called Al-\u1E62a\u1E25r\u0101\u02BE al-Kubr\u0101, or \u201Cthe Great Desert.\u201D The Arabic word <em>\u1E63a\u1E25r\u0101\u02BE<\/em> simply means \u201Cdesert,\u201D and its plural form, <em>\u1E63a\u1E25\u0101r\u0101\u02BE<\/em>, is where the northern African desert gets its Anglicized name. The word <em>\u1E63a\u1E25r\u0101\u02BE<\/em> shares its roots with the Arabic word <em>a\u1E63\u1E25ar<\/em>, which translates to \u201Cdesert-like\u201D and specifically connotes the yellowish red color that characterizes the Sahara\u2019s sandy expanses." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>Can plants and animals survive in the Sahara Desert?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Though boasting an extremely low primary productivity, the Sahara does manage to support some life. Many of the organisms that can survive have been able to do so with adaptations for arid environments: for example, many herbaceous plants found in the Sahara are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/ephemeral\">ephemerals<\/a>, meaning that almost all of their life cycle\u2014from germination to seed dispersal\u2014occurs in the two- to three-week period after a heavy rain. Animals such as the desert snail survive by using estivation, a period of dormancy that some animals can enter when encountering extreme environmental stress. Other organisms, although adapted more for a Mediterranean or tropical climate than an arid one, have persisted in the Sahara mostly by sticking to its slightly more hospitable highlands and oases. " } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>Do people live in the Sahara Desert?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "People have lived in the Sahara long before recorded history, at certain times in regions that are now too arid for human inhabitance. Archaeological findings indicate that there were once ancient Saharan lakes, upon the shores of which humans lived, hunted, and fished. Even after these lakes ceased to exist, humans survived for centuries in the desert using alternative methods: nomadic pastoralists herded goats, sheep, or camels to whatever pasturage could be found; sedentary agriculturalists, confined to oases, harnessed their limited water resources to grow crops such as date palms and barley; and specialists (for example, blacksmiths) traded wares with their agriculturalist and pastoralist neighbors. Certain groups have long relied on traveling and trading along <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/caravan-desert-transport\">caravan<\/a> routes to obtain their livelihood, journeying by camel to oases and population centers all over the Sahara. Modern economic development has disrupted many of these traditional means of subsistence, however, with many desert dwellers seeking more lucrative opportunities in developed regions and oases." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What is the modern economy of the Saharan Desert like?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "After World War II, prospecting revealed that the Sahara was laden with oil and mineral resources, which have served as a major attractor of international investment since. Oil, natural gas, and coal reserves have been discovered all over northern Africa and particularly have been exploited by various countries, such as Egypt, Libya, and Algeria. Although these industries have introduced potentially high-wage jobs to the Sahara, they are also responsible for the displacement of desert peoples from their traditional modes of existence and have contributed to the increasing overcrowding and poverty in developed regions. " } } ] } </script> <div class="top-questions qa-accordion d-flex flex-column module-spacing"><div class="font-weight-bold font-14 mb-5"> Top Questions </div><div id="intent-accordion" class="md-intent-accordion"><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="1"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What is the climate of the Sahara Desert?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>The Sahara exhibits great climatic variability within its borders, with two major climatic regimes differentiating along a north-south axis: the desert’s northern latitudes are arid subtropical and have two rainy seasons, while the southern ones, although also arid, are more tropical and have only one rainy season. The southern reaches of the Sahara end in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sahel" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sahel</a>, a semiarid buffer zone that separates the desert from the more temperate savanna biomes beyond. A number of other factors affect climatic variability within the Sahara as well: topography does so, as do ocean currents, the latter of which are responsible for the slightly cooler and more humid conditions found on the desert’s western margins. Some scientists estimate that the Sahara became arid about two to three million years ago, while others contend that it happened before this.</p><div class="continue-reading"> Read more below: <a href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/Climate">Physical features: Climate</a></div></div><div class="connections border-top mt-15"><a href="/place/Sahel" class="d-flex mt-15">Sahel</a>Read more about the Sahel.</div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="2"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>How did the Sahara get its name?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>In Arabic the Sahara is called Al-Ṣaḥrāʾ al-Kubrā, or “the Great Desert.” The Arabic word <em>ṣaḥrāʾ</em> simply means “desert,” and its plural form, <em>ṣaḥārāʾ</em>, is where the northern African desert gets its Anglicized name. The word <em>ṣaḥrāʾ</em> shares its roots with the Arabic word <em>aṣḥar</em>, which translates to “desert-like” and specifically connotes the yellowish red color that characterizes the Sahara’s sandy expanses.</p><div class="continue-reading"> Read more below: <a href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa#ref37009">Physical features</a></div></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="3"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>Can plants and animals survive in the Sahara Desert?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Though boasting an extremely low primary productivity, the Sahara does manage to support some life. Many of the organisms that can survive have been able to do so with adaptations for arid environments: for example, many herbaceous plants found in the Sahara are <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/ephemeral" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">ephemerals</a>, meaning that almost all of their life cycle—from germination to seed dispersal—occurs in the two- to three-week period after a heavy rain. Animals such as the desert snail survive by using estivation, a period of dormancy that some animals can enter when encountering extreme environmental stress. Other organisms, although adapted more for a Mediterranean or tropical climate than an arid one, have persisted in the Sahara mostly by sticking to its slightly more hospitable highlands and oases. </p><div class="continue-reading"> Read more below: <a href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/Plant-life">Physical features: Plant life</a></div><div class="continue-reading"> Read more below: <a href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/Animal-life">Physical features: Animal life</a></div></div><div class="connections border-top mt-15"><a href="/science/ephemeral" class="d-flex mt-15">ephemeral</a>Read more about ephemeral plants.</div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="4"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>Do people live in the Sahara Desert?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>People have lived in the Sahara long before recorded history, at certain times in regions that are now too arid for human inhabitance. Archaeological findings indicate that there were once ancient Saharan lakes, upon the shores of which humans lived, hunted, and fished. Even after these lakes ceased to exist, humans survived for centuries in the desert using alternative methods: nomadic pastoralists herded goats, sheep, or camels to whatever pasturage could be found; sedentary agriculturalists, confined to oases, harnessed their limited water resources to grow crops such as date palms and barley; and specialists (for example, blacksmiths) traded wares with their agriculturalist and pastoralist neighbors. Certain groups have long relied on traveling and trading along <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/caravan-desert-transport" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">caravan</a> routes to obtain their livelihood, journeying by camel to oases and population centers all over the Sahara. Modern economic development has disrupted many of these traditional means of subsistence, however, with many desert dwellers seeking more lucrative opportunities in developed regions and oases.</p><div class="continue-reading"> Read more below: <a href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/People">People</a></div></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="5"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What is the modern economy of the Saharan Desert like?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>After World War II, prospecting revealed that the Sahara was laden with oil and mineral resources, which have served as a major attractor of international investment since. Oil, natural gas, and coal reserves have been discovered all over northern Africa and particularly have been exploited by various countries, such as Egypt, Libya, and Algeria. Although these industries have introduced potentially high-wage jobs to the Sahara, they are also responsible for the displacement of desert peoples from their traditional modes of existence and have contributed to the increasing overcrowding and poverty in developed regions. </p><div class="continue-reading"> Read more below: <a href="/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/Economy">Economy</a></div></div></div></div><button class="show-more-button js-toggle-top-questions btn btn-unstyled font-14 d-flex pr-10 rounded-sm"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></button></div></div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gz7ee68pno" rel="nofollow">Essex man treks across Sahara desert in Where's Wally? costume</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 12, 2024, 12:51 AM ET (BBC) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/ansel-elgort-in-bear-grylls-produced-survival-thriller-faster-than-horses-afm2024-1236047326/" rel="nofollow">AFM: Ansel Elgort Boards Bear Grylls-Produced Survival Thriller ‘Faster Than Horses’</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Oct. 30, 2024, 2:05 AM ET (The Hollywood Reporter) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.dw.com/en/morocco-flooding-lakes-in-sahara-desert-climate-change/g-70620223" rel="nofollow">Flooding in Morocco turns Sahara Desert into a lake</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Oct. 29, 2024, 6:17 AM ET (Deutsche Welle) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.dw.com/en/morocco-flooding-turns-sahara-into-a-lake/g-70620223" rel="nofollow">Morocco: Flooding turns Sahara into a lake</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Oct. 28, 2024, 5:01 PM ET (Deutsche Welle) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.space.com/sahara-lakes-appear-after-rain-soaks-desert-before-after-images" rel="nofollow">Before and after satellite images show lakes appearing across Sahara after deluge of rain soaks desert</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Oct. 26, 2024, 6:06 AM ET (Space.com) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies multiple medialist slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100" data-type="other"><div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex"><div class="rw-track d-flex align-items-center"><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="61717" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/67/3867-050-F385E388/Sahara-world-most-part-Africa.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/516375/61717"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/67/3867-050-F385E388/Sahara-world-most-part-Africa.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/67/3867-050-F385E388/Sahara-world-most-part-Africa.jpg?w=300" alt="Sahara" data-width="1600" data-height="1067" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/67/3867-050-F385E388/Sahara-world-most-part-Africa.jpg" data-href="/media/1/516375/61717">Sahara</a><span>The Sahara is the world's largest desert; it extends across most of the northern part of Africa.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><button disabled="true" class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span></button><button disabled="true" class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span></button></div><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref417741"></span>Sahara</strong>, (from Arabic <em>ṣaḥrāʾ</em>, “desert”) largest <span id="ref417742"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/desert" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">desert</a> in the world. Filling nearly all of northern <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Africa" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Africa</a>, it measures approximately 3,000 miles (4,800 km) from east to west and between 800 and 1,200 miles from north to south and has a total area of some 3,320,000 square miles (8,600,000 square km); the actual area varies as the desert expands and contracts over time. The Sahara is bordered in the west by the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Atlantic-Ocean" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Atlantic Ocean</a>, in the north by the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Atlas-Mountains" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Atlas Mountains</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mediterranean-Sea" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mediterranean Sea</a>, in the east by the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Red-Sea" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Red Sea</a>, and in the south by the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sahel" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sahel</a>—a semiarid region that forms a transitional zone between the Sahara to the north and the belt of humid savannas to the south. </p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref37009"><h2 class="h1">Physical features</h2> <section data-level="2" id="ref37010"><h2 class="h2">Physiography</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies multiple medialist slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100" data-type="other"><div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex"><div class="rw-track d-flex align-items-center"><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="200" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/71/5371-050-7ECF1350/Sahara.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/516375/200"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/71/5371-050-7ECF1350/Sahara.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/71/5371-050-7ECF1350/Sahara.jpg?w=300" alt="The Sahara." data-width="1600" data-height="730" loading="eager"></picture><div class="position-absolute top-10 left-10 assembly-slide-tag rounded-lg">1 of 2</div><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/71/5371-050-7ECF1350/Sahara.jpg" data-href="/media/1/516375/200">The Sahara.</a><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="160279" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/09/152309-050-5E0B2A42/Sahara-Morocco.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/516375/160279"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/09/152309-050-5E0B2A42/Sahara-Morocco.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/09/152309-050-5E0B2A42/Sahara-Morocco.jpg?w=300" alt="Sahara" data-width="1600" data-height="1064" loading="eager"></picture><div class="position-absolute top-10 left-10 assembly-slide-tag rounded-lg">2 of 2</div><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/09/152309-050-5E0B2A42/Sahara-Morocco.jpg" data-href="/media/1/516375/160279">Sahara</a><span>The Sahara, Morocco.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><button disabled="true" class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span></button><button disabled="true" class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span></button></div><p class="topic-paragraph">The principal topographical features of the Sahara include shallow, seasonally inundated basins (chotts and dayas) and large <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/oasis-geological-feature" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">oasis</a> depressions; extensive gravel-covered plains (serirs or regs); rock-strewn plateaus (hammadas); abrupt mountains; and sand sheets, dunes, and sand seas (<span id="ref417743"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/erg-desert-feature" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">ergs</a>). The highest point in the desert is the 11,204-foot (3,415-metre) summit of <span id="ref417744"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mount-Koussi" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mount Koussi</a> in the <span id="ref417745"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Tibesti" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Tibesti</a> Mountains in <span id="ref417746"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Chad" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Chad</a>. The lowest, 436 feet (133 metres) below <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/sea-level" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">sea level</a>, is in the <span id="ref417747"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Qattara-Depression" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Qattara Depression</a> of <span id="ref417748"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Egypt" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Egypt</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The name Sahara derives from the Arabic noun <em>ṣaḥrāʾ</em>, meaning desert, and its plural, <em>ṣaḥārāʾ</em>. It is also related to the adjective <em>aṣḥar</em>, meaning desertlike and carrying a strong <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="connotation" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/connotation" data-type="MW">connotation</a> of the reddish colour of the vegetationless plains. There are also <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="indigenous" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indigenous" data-type="MW">indigenous</a> names for particular areas—such as the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Tanezrouft" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Tanezrouft</a> region of southwestern <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Algeria" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Algeria</a> and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Tenere" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ténéré</a> region of central <span id="ref417749"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Niger" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Niger</a>—which are often of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Berber" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Berber</a> origin.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="67096" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/59849-050-E8310ECE/Mountains-plateau-landscape-Ahaggar-Algeria-Sahara.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/516375/67096"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/59849-050-E8310ECE/Mountains-plateau-landscape-Ahaggar-Algeria-Sahara.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/59849-050-E8310ECE/Mountains-plateau-landscape-Ahaggar-Algeria-Sahara.jpg?w=300" alt="Algeria: geography" data-width="1600" data-height="1070" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/59849-050-E8310ECE/Mountains-plateau-landscape-Ahaggar-Algeria-Sahara.jpg" data-href="/media/1/516375/67096">Algeria: geography</a><span>The Ahaggar Plateau rises from the barren landscape of the Sahara in southern Algeria.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">The Sahara sits atop the <span id="ref417750"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/African-Shield" class="md-crosslink ">African Shield</a>, which is composed of heavily folded and denuded Precambrian rocks. Because of the stability of the shield, subsequently deposited Paleozoic formations have remained horizontal and relatively unaltered. Over much of the Sahara, these formations were covered by Mesozoic deposits—including the limestones of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Algeria" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Algeria</a>, southern <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Tunisia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Tunisia</a>, and northern <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Libya" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Libya</a>, and the Nubian sandstones of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Libyan-Desert" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Libyan Desert</a>—and many of the important regional aquifers are identified with them. In the northern Sahara, these formations are also associated with a series of basins and depressions extending from the oases of western Egypt to the chotts of Algeria. In the southern Sahara, downwarping of the African Shield created large basins occupied by Cenozoic lakes and seas, such as the ancient Mega-Chad. The serirs and regs differ in character in various regions of the desert but are believed to represent Cenozoic depositional surfaces. A prominent feature of the plains is the dark patina of ferromanganese <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="compounds" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compounds" data-type="MW">compounds</a>, called <span id="ref417751"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/desert-varnish" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">desert varnish</a>, that forms on the surfaces of weathered rocks. The plateaus of the Sahara, such as the Tademaït Plateau of Algeria, are typically covered with angular, weathered rock. In the central Sahara, the monotony of the plains and plateaus is broken by prominent volcanic massifs—including Mount ʿUwaynat and the Tibesti and <span id="ref417752"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Ahaggar" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ahaggar</a> mountains. Other noteworthy formations include the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Ennedi" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Ennedi Plateau</a> of Chad, the <span id="ref417753"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Air-massif" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Aïr Massif</a> of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Niger" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Niger</a>, the Iforas Massif of <span id="ref417754"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mali" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mali</a>, and the outcroppings of the <span id="ref417755"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mauritania" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mauritanian</a> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Adrar-oasis-Algeria" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Adrar</a> region.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="108282" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/106048-050-82819507/Sand-dunes-Sahara-Morocco.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/516375/108282"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/106048-050-82819507/Sand-dunes-Sahara-Morocco.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/106048-050-82819507/Sand-dunes-Sahara-Morocco.jpg?w=300" alt="sand dunes" data-width="1600" data-height="1059" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/106048-050-82819507/Sand-dunes-Sahara-Morocco.jpg" data-href="/media/1/516375/108282">sand dunes</a><span>Sand dunes in the Sahara, Morocco.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph"><span id="ref417756"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/sand-sheet" class="md-crosslink ">Sand sheets</a> and <span id="ref417757"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/sand-dune" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">dunes</a> cover approximately 25 percent of the Sahara’s surface. The principal types of dunes include tied dunes, which form in the lee of hills or other obstacles; parabolic blowout dunes; crescent-shaped barchans and transverse dunes; longitudinal seifs; and the massive, complex forms associated with sand seas. Several pyramidal dunes in the Sahara attain heights of nearly 500 feet, while <em><span id="ref417758"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/compound-dune" class="md-crosslink ">draa</a></em>, the mountainous sand ridges that dominate the ergs, are said to reach 1,000 feet. An unusual phenomenon associated with desert sands is their “singing” or booming. Various <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="hypotheses" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypotheses" data-type="MW">hypotheses</a> have been advanced to explain the phenomenon, such as those based upon the piezoelectric property of crystalline <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/quartz" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">quartz</a>, but the mystery remains unsolved.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/geography-of-africa-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/29/216629-131-DEBCF6FD/Church-Saint-George-Bet-Giyorgis-Lalibela-Ethiopia-UNESCO-World-Heritage-site.jpg" alt="Church of Saint George (Bet Giyorgis), Lalibela, Ethiopia. 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