All about sugar in Africa. The Sahara is the largest desert on the planet. Fenech - the faithful companion of the Little Prince from the famous fairy tale by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The Sahara Desert in Africa is almost 8.6 million square kilometers of secrets, mysteries and mysticism. Some of them are practically unraveled, others - defy explanation. Its size is rapidly increasing, the sands are advancing from the south and southeast at a speed of 50 km per year. Why is this happening? This is another inexplicable mystery, and there is no way to stop the sand invasion.

The Sahara Desert is located in the north of the African continent, it occupies almost a quarter of its area. The length is 4800 km from west to east, 800-1200 km from north to south. Libya, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco - these are not all countries that border on the largest desert in Africa and the entire planet.

The Sahara desert was once a green savanna

The Sahara Desert appeared about 4 thousand years ago, but literally 2 thousand years before that, rivers flowed here, and the water was crystal clear. The fertile land was covered with lush vegetation, herbivores and predators were found in the forest thickets.

Interesting fact. Camels, which are invariably associated with the Sahara desert, did not exist then. "Ships of the Desert" appeared much later. African savannah inhabited by a variety of animals and numerous tribes engaged in agriculture and hunting.

The dunes of the Sahara desert sometimes reach 300 m

The dunes of the Sahara resemble the lifeless landscapes of Mars

Another legend? Well, this is a proven fact. Back in 1933, the German explorer of the African continent Leo Frobenius discovered rock carvings in the very heart of the Sahara Desert. Ancient artists decorated the rocks that come close to the riverbed ancient river, drawings of antelopes, giraffes, birds, lions and even hippos. The paintings are painted with white clay and red ocher. Is this not evidence of the existence of a once diverse fauna in these places?

Among the dunes of the Sahara, black rocks of volcanic origin rise

Lake Ubari in the Sahara desert (Libya) is filled with underground springs

Rock art in the Sahara Desert

What happened to the African savannah? About 5 thousand years ago, a drought set in, the fertile land of the Sahara began to rapidly lose moisture, rivers and lakes gradually dried up. The vegetation disappeared, the animals began to leave these places, they went to the forests Central Africa. People also had to leave their homes, only a few remained in the Sahara Desert, who turned into nomads, moving from oasis to oasis.

Are there rivers and lakes in the Sahara Desert?

By southern territory The Niger flows through the Sahara Desert, or rather, a small part of it. The full-flowing Nile carries its waters through the entire territory of the desert. These are the main waterways"sand country"

However, things were different before. The rivers of the Sahara originated on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains and carried life-giving moisture to the ancient inhabitants. Their dry channels are imprinted in an intricate grid into the desert landscape. Their name is wadi. Many of them are striking in their size - in the Sahara there are wadis, the width of which is 30 km, and the length is more than 400 km. During mountain showers, some wadis little time are filled with water.

Wadis in the Sahara desert - dried up riverbeds and bowls of lakes

Lake Ubari in the Sahara desert, Libya

There were also lakes in the Sahara desert, and huge depressions remind of them, at the bottom of which there are shotts - miniature salt lakes. The water level in them is not constant, it fluctuates depending on the height of the groundwater. In summer, they dry up completely, showing only a dense salty crust. Shotts are insidious, bottomless bogs form here in the spring, which are masked only by a thin layer of salted clay. In some of them, entire caravans disappeared without a trace; safe paths are known only to the Tuareg.

Lake Yoa is located in the Sahara and is part of the Ounianga lake system.

The drying red lake of Trona is a salty spring in the Sahara Desert

Although there is no Sahara Desert deep rivers Apart from the legendary Nile, there is no lack of water here. Even in the underground. If it were otherwise, then this "sandy country" would become a real hot hell without any signs of life. In some places, water seeps out of the ground, and oases are located near such springs.

Gelta Darshey in the Sahara desert - a source of water among the rocks

Amazing landscapes in the vicinity of Gelta Darshey

The most famous oasis of the Sahara Desert is the legendary Nefta. According to legend, he appeared at this place immediately after he ended global flood. It was found by none other than the grandson of Noah himself - Kostel. He planted the first date palm near the spring, today there is a grove of 35 thousand trees. The largest oasis of the Sahara Desert is the full-flowing Nile Valley, whose area is more than 20 thousand km2.

The dunes of the Sahara Desert take on a bluish-gray hue at sunset.

The trees of the Sahara desert are adapted to extreme conditions: a minimum of leaves, a maximum of thorns.

Immortelle from the Sahara Desert

Dates from the oasis of the Sahara - Nefty

Springs in the Sahara Desert are a rarity, so today, like many centuries ago, water is extracted from deep wells, of which there are many thousands. Back in the 11th century, there were more than 3 thousand of them. Some man-made springs can only water a small caravan, others are so deep that oases have formed around them, where numerous tourists hide in the shade of date palms and Tuareg settle.

Flora and fauna of the Sahara Desert

Animals of the Sahara desert are individuals that are able to endure the harshest living conditions. In modern terms - extreme. They must move very quickly in search of food and water, endure high temperatures and scorching heat.

Sahara desert fox - fennec fox

Fennec is a faithful companion Little Prince from the famous fairy tale by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Desert hedgehog adapts to hard life in the Sahara

Hyenas thrive in the Sahara climate zone

In the Sahara Desert are found graceful antelopes: oryx and addax. In the endless sands there are gazelles and mountain goats. Many species of artiodactyls are at the stage of extinction, the reason for this is valuable skins and tasty meat, which is appreciated by the Tuareg, and tourists consider it an African delicacy. The predator population is hyenas and jackals, wild foxes and cheetahs. They live in the expanses of the Sahara and the kings of animals - lions.

Funny posts in the Sahara desert - meerkats

And even little meerkats, just born, already know how to stand in a column

The reptile world of the Sahara desert is incredibly diverse. Lizards, snakes and turtles tolerate drought well, and for long years well adapted to such living conditions, here they are at home. It is in the Sahara desert that the most poisonous scorpion on the planet lives. From its bite, a person dies within four hours, a dog or cat - immediately. The full-flowing Nile is the habitat of crocodiles.

Thunderstorm of the Sahara desert - horned viper

Black scorpion from the Sahara Desert a prime example how amphibian species became terrestrial, adapting to new climatic conditions

The vegetation of the Sahara desert is the most resistant, but this does not make them less beautiful. Although the sands seem lifeless, over 1,000 species of plants grow here, most of which are xerophytes or ephemera, which tolerate drought and heat well.

Flowers grow in the Sahara Desert

Desert Hyacinth Cistanche tubulosa

Jericho rose during the dry period in the Sahara

The Jericho rose comes back to life after rain in the Sahara

An amazing flower grew in the sands of the Sahara

The most is the Jericho rose, able to exist up to 30 years without a drop of water, curling up into a ball of dry stems, and immediately throwing out color at the slightest presence of moisture. But the most common vegetation of the Sahara desert is lichens with small spines. Date palms, pistachios, and oleanders grow in oases.

The tribes of the Sahara desert - proud and adamant inhabitants of the sands

Many nationalities live on the vast territory of the Sahara desert. Total population population - only 2.5 million people. Huge areas of the Sahara are deserted, and the highest density of inhabitants is recorded in the cities of Algeria, a country, a significant part of which is occupied by the Sahara desert.

Interesting fact. There are many tribes in the Sahara desert, but the most famous are the proud Tuareg. A stern rider, wrapped up to the very eyes with a bandage, sitting on a camel or horse, is a symbol of the great "country of sands".

Sahara desert mountains

Amazing mosaic of salt lakes in the Sahara in Niger

The Tuareg lived in the vast expanses of the Sahara desert long before the Arabs appeared here. They are light-skinned, in their veins there is not a drop of the blood of representatives of the Negroid race. How did the Tuareg appear in the Sahara? This is another secret. They still live a nomadic life, stubbornly rejecting all the benefits of civilization. Pride is their main asset and the meaning of life.

The White Desert is an iconic landmark of the Sahara

In the east of the Sahara, on the territory of Egypt, there is one of the attractions of the "country of sands" - white desert. Its area is only 300 km2, and the sands here really shine with pearly whiteness. This shade is given to them by karst formations.

White desert in the Sahara

Amazing mushroom formations in the Sahara Desert

White desert in Egypt, the territory of the Sahara desert

At night, the White Desert of the Sahara resembles arctic landscapes. Wind and erosion have carved bizarre pillars, castles and towers from pliable karst deposits. Many of them are so intricate that they seem almost ephemeral.

Miracle of the Sahara - the "eye of the desert" Rishat

One of the Sahara deserts and one of its main secrets is the "eye of the Sahara" - Guel-er-Rishat. This is a geological formation in the form of rings with a diameter of more than 50 km. The age of Rishat is over 500 million years.

"Eye" of the Sahara desert - Richat

The eye of the Sahara Desert Richat seen from space

It is noteworthy that for a long time the iconic landmark served as a guide for astronauts, it was this object that stood out among the vast sands of the world's largest desert. The era of astronautics made Rishat famous, until the beginning of the 20th century, only the Tuareg knew about the existence of the "eye of the Sahara", considering it a miracle.

A multi-tiered, amphitheater-like Richat structure in the Sahara Desert

Satellite photo of the Richat structure in the Sahara Desert

The reason for the blue concentric rings of Richat is stones of an unearthly shade of ultramarine

For a long time it was believed that the appearance of rings in the Sahara desert is the result of a meteorite fall. However heavenly body can't get to the same place more than once. The multi-tiered Guel-er-Rishat is the result of centuries of erosion. However, this scientific explanation does not detract from the majesty of this attraction and its ideal forms. Perhaps this is a gift from other civilizations?

Will judgment day come?

The climate of the Sahara desert continues to change. Over the past 100 years, floods have been recorded here, and in 1979 snow fell. The snowfall was so heavy that in half an hour it practically paralyzed the movement of vehicles in Algeria. locals were quite surprised, to say the least. This is unique phenomenon shocked scientists all over the world. And no wonder, because it is the largest desert in the world that is the place of the most high temperatures, where the thermometer sometimes rises to +57.

It snowed in the Sahara Desert

According to the Koran, the Day of Judgment will come when the Sahara desert turns into a blooming oasis. Well, the anomalies that occur with the local climate are a significant prerequisite. It is quite possible that our descendants will again see the African savannah.

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Where is the Sahara Desert located?

The Sahara Desert is the largest SANDY desert on our planet and it is located in the northern part of the African continent. It also ranks second as the largest desert in the world in terms of area, giving way to the Antarctic Desert. The area of ​​the Sahara occupies about 8.6 million km2 and partially occupies the territory of 10 states. From west to east its length is 4800 m, and from south to north its length ranges from 800 to 1200 meters. At the same time, the size of the desert is not constant; it grows annually by 6-10 km from south to north.

Sahara desert landscape

The landscape of the Sahara consists of 70% of the plains and 30% of the Tibesti and Ahaggar uplands, the stepped plateaus of Adrar-Iforas, Air, Ennedi, Tademait, etc., as well as cuesta ridges.

Climate of the Sahara Desert

The climate of the desert is divided into subtropical in the north and tropical in the south of the desert. In the northern part of the desert, there are large fluctuations in temperature, both annual and average daily. In winter, the temperature can drop to -18 degrees in the mountains. Summer, on the other hand, is very hot. The soil can warm up to 70-80 degrees Celsius.

In the southern part of the desert, temperature fluctuations are slightly less, but also in winter the temperature in the mountains can drop below zero degrees Celsius. Winters are milder and dryer.

The desert is characterized by a large fluctuation in temperatures at night and during the day. This figure is voiced up to 30-40 degrees difference between night and day temperatures! Therefore, it is sometimes impossible to do without warm clothes there at night, as the temperature can drop below zero. Also in the desert are often sandstorms at which the wind can reach up to 50 meters per second. The central parts of the desert may not see rain for years, and other parts may even experience heavy downpours. In other words, the Sahara desert is full of surprises in terms of weather.

Sahara Desert - amazing place. It is incredible how animals, plants, and people have been able to adapt to life in this part of the earth, given the constant drought and heat.

1) In terms of size, the desert is like half of Russia, or the whole of Brazil!
The Sahara Desert is the largest desert in the world, covering 30% of Africa. But this is half Russian Federation, or the entire area of ​​Brazil, which is the fifth largest country in the world in terms of area.

2) "Sea without water." On the Arabic The Sahara is a desert, and some people called it the "Sea without Water" because once upon a time there were many rivers and lakes in its place.

3) Mars on Earth. The desert dunes move from a couple of centimeters to hundreds of meters per year, and the dunes themselves resemble the landscapes of Mars! Sometimes they reach a height of 300 meters!

4) There are fewer and fewer oases. Near the oases, villages and cities usually appear, but every year there are fewer and fewer oases.

5) The average temperature in the desert is about 40 degrees Celsius! The sand itself is heated up to 80 degrees Celsius! But at night the temperature can drop to -15 degrees Celsius.

6) Over the past fifty years, storms have begun to appear more and more often, in some places their occurrence has increased forty times!

7) There are 3 million people living in the Sahara. However before people there were more, once upon a time, caravans of merchants who carried various riches passed through the desert. But the passage through the entire desert took 1.5 years!

8) The roots of some plants are at a depth of 20 meters! In this way, plants try to get water for themselves in order to retain it for a long time and use it carefully.

9) There are about 4 thousand in the Sahara various kinds animals and plants.

10) Camels live without water for 14 days, and without food as much as 30! They can smell moisture for 50 kilometers, and drink a hundred liters of water at a time! And they don't sweat at all! Their humps are fat, thanks to which they can exist for a long time without food.

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Borders

Of course, a desert of this size could not occupy the territory of one or two African countries. It captures Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia and Chad.

From the west, the Sahara is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, from the north it is bounded by the Atlas Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea, and from the east by the Red Sea. The southern border of the desert is defined by a zone of inactive ancient sand dunes at 16 ° N, south of which is the Sahel - a transitional region to the Sudanese savannah.

Regions

It is difficult to attribute the Sahara to any particular type of desert, although the sandy-stony type prevails here. The following regions are distinguished in its composition: Tenere, Great Eastern Erg, Great Western Erg, Tanezruft, Hamada el-Hamra, Erg-Igidi, Erg-Shesh, Arabian, Algerian, Libyan, Nubian deserts, Talak desert.

Climate

The climate of the Sahara is unique and is due to its location in the zone of high-altitude anticyclones, descending air currents and dry trade winds of the northern hemisphere. It rarely rains in the desert, and the air is dry and hot. The sky of the Sahara is cloudless, but it will not surprise travelers with blue transparency, since the finest dust is constantly in the air. intensive solar exposure and evaporation during the day is replaced by strong radiation at night. At first, the sand heats up to 70 ° C, it radiates with heat from the rocks, and in the evening the surface of the Sahara cools much faster than air. The average temperature in July is 35°.

High temperature, with its sharp fluctuations, and very dry air make being in the desert very difficult. Only from December to February comes the "Saharan winter" - a period with relatively cool weather. AT winter time temperatures in the Northern Sahara can drop below 0° at night, although during the day it rises to 25°. Sometimes it even snows here.

Desert nature

Bedouin walking on the dunes

Despite the fact that the desert is usually represented as a continuous layer of hot sand that forms dunes, the Sahara has a slightly different relief. In the center of the desert, mountain ranges rise, more than 3 km high, but along the outskirts, pebble, stony, clay and sandy deserts in which there is practically no vegetation. It is there that nomads live, driving herds of camels across rare pastures.

Oasis

The vegetation of the Sahara consists of bushes, grasses and trees in the highlands and oases located along the riverbeds. Some plants have fully adapted to the harsh climate and grow within 3 days after rain, and then sown seeds for 2 weeks. At the same time, only a small part of the desert is fertile - these areas take moisture from underground rivers.

The well-known one-humped camels, some of which were domesticated by nomads, still live in small herds, feeding on cactus thorns and parts of other desert plants. But these are not the only ungulates living in the desert. Pronghorn Addaxes, Maned Rams, Dorcas gazelles and Oryx antelopes, whose curved horns are almost as long as their bodies, are also well adapted to survive in such difficult conditions. The light color of the wool allows them not only to escape from the heat during the day, but also not to freeze at night.

Several species of rodents, including the gerbil, the Abessinian hare, which comes to the surface only at dusk, and hides in burrows during the day, the jerboa, which has surprisingly long legs, allowing him to move in huge leaps like a kangaroo.

Predators also live in the Sahara desert, the largest of which is the fennec fox - a small fox with wide ears. Barchan cats also live there, horned vipers and rattlesnakes, which leave winding traces on the surface of the sand, and many other species of animals.

Video: From Casablanca to the Sahara

Sahara in the movies

The mesmerizing landscapes of the Sahara never cease to attract filmmakers. Many films were shot on the territory of Tunisia, and the creators of two famous paintings left a memory of themselves among the sands. The planet Tatooine is not actually lost in space, but is located in the Sahara. Here is a whole "out-of-this-world" village of last episode"Star Wars". At the end of filming, the "aliens" left their homes, and now the bizarre dwellings and gas station of interplanetary aircraft at the disposal of rare tourists. In the neighborhood of Tatooine, the white Arab house from The English Patient is still visible. You can get here only by jeep and with an experienced guide, because you have to drive off-road, with a complete lack of signs and landmarks. Fans of The English Patient need to hurry a little more and the ruthless dune will finally bury this unusual attraction under the sand.

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

Sahara (translated 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 geographical map it can be found at the following coordinates: 23° 4′ 47.03″ s. w., 12° 36′ 44.3″ e. d.

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 off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and ends off 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 near the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlas Mountains, the southern border is limited to 16 ° N. sh., in the area of ​​sedentary ancient dunes, to the south of which begins tropical savannah Sahel, a transitional area between the desert and the fertile soils of Sudan.

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

The desert is located in the northwest of the stable ancient African platform, so ground trembling is now rarely observed. In the center of the platform, from west to east, the relief rises: 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 for a short time almost every year.

From the northern and southern parts of the uplifts there are deflections of the platform, where in former times the sea was located, and therefore the presence of marine sedimentary rocks is characteristic of the soil. In the south of the desert, the platform deflection has led to the formation of large lakes, which are the main suppliers of fresh water of your region. First of all, we are talking about Lake Chad and the Ounianga group of lakes.

Sands occupy only a fourth of the Sahara, while the thickness of the sand layer is about 150 meters. Rocky 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 here (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 also 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 earth.

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

• Western Sahara - located in northwestern Africa, the territory is characterized by coastal lowlands that turn into elevated basement plains and plateaus.
• The central highlands of Ahaggar - on the map is located in the south of Algeria, the highest point is Mount Tahat with a height of 2918 meters, so snow often falls 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 Emi-Kushi volcano, almost 3.5 km high, on the top of which snow falls annually.
• The Tenere Desert is located in the south-central Sahara. It is a sandy plain with an area of ​​\u200b\u200babout 400 thousand km2, which is located in the northeastern part of Niger and in western Chad.
• The Libyan Desert - on the map of Africa, it is located in the north and is the driest region of the desert.

Climate

Sahara is the hottest and hottest place on our planet: even the driest desert in the world, Atacama, which is located in South America, cannot be compared with it.

The weather here in summer is extremely hot: the air temperature at this time often exceeds 57°C, and the sands heat up to 80°C. 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 precipitation is only 100 mm (while in the center they may not be for several years in a row), it evaporates - from 2 to 5 thousand mm of moisture.

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 the temperature can drop to -18 °C). The annual rainfall is 80 mm, rainy weather here from December to March and in August, while thunderstorms and even severe short-term floods are not uncommon. In winter, the high plateaus of Ahaggar and Tibesti receive a short snowfall almost every year.

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

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 warm even in winter: the temperature of the coldest month of the year is + 10 ° C (therefore, snow is an extremely rare phenomenon).

The climate of the Sahara is greatly 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 wet air masses Mediterranean air stops the mountain range of the Atlas Mountains.

As for the air currents that move from the south, when they reach the central part of the desert, they manage to lose moisture. Therefore, the winds in the northern part of the desert have a particularly destructive force. They move at a speed of about 50 m / s and, raising dust, sand, small stones to a height exceeding a thousand meters, cause tornadoes and severe sandstorms, often moving dunes.

Water resources

the only river North Africa, which passes through the eastern part of the Sahara towards mediterranean sea is the Nile, whose length is 6852 km (the river is the second longest after the Amazon, and flows through South America).

Since a large part of the water evaporates as you move through the desert, an important role is played by its two tributaries, the White and Blue Nile, 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, between Egypt and Sudan, the Nasser reservoir was created, the total area of ​​​​which exceeds 5 thousand km2.

In the south of the Sahara, several river flows flow into Lake Chad, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich 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 northeasterly direction, replenishing watersheds.

In the southwest flows the Niger River, which flows into the Gulf of Guinea of ​​the Atlantic Ocean. This river is interesting in that starting almost near the ocean, 240 km from the coast, it flows in the opposite direction, into the Sahara, after which it turns sharply to the right and continues on its way in a southeast direction (the shape of the river, if you look at the map of Africa, looks like 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. Wadis also feed the desert soil in its central part. A lot of rainwater is in the dunes: once in the sand, the water seeps through the slopes and flows down.

Huge pools lie beneath the desert sands groundwater, due to which oases are formed (there are especially many of them in the north of the Sahara, while in the south the aquifers are located deeper).

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

Flora

There is little vegetation in the Sahara - mostly shrubs, herbs and trees that grow near a natural reservoir, along a wadi or in high-altitude regions, among them olives, cypress, dates, thyme, citrus fruits.

In areas where there is little water supply, only those types of vegetation are found that tolerate drought well. There are no plants at all in rocky massifs, in places where sands accumulate.

Fauna

Almost 4 thousand representatives of the animal world live in the desert, most of which are invertebrates. Animals of the Sahara desert live mainly near water (they are practically not found in arid regions) and lead night image life.

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 - the cheetah, spotted hyena, sand fox, mongoose.

About 300 species of birds live in the Sahara, 50% of them are migratory. These are, first of all, ostriches, African owl, trumpet and desert crows and others.

Desert and people

Despite the vast area, the desert is sparsely inhabited: only 2.5 million people live here. Some peoples lead a nomadic lifestyle, but most prefer to settle down. 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, over fishing and hunting, breeding of large cattle: goats and sheep.

We say "desert" - we mean "Sahara", and in Arabic there is no other word for desert except for the actual "sugar". And this is no coincidence: the Sahara is the largest sandy area on the globe, stretching in North Africa from the Red Sea to the Atlantic for almost five thousand kilometers. Dunes reaching a height of 300 meters, many kilometers of ideally flat areas of saline soil, lush oases and endless dunes that go beyond the horizon - all this makes up one of the most amazing landscapes on the planet. However, despite the area of ​​more than 8 million km, the Sahara is not so easy to visit, which is to blame for the extremely turbulent political situation in the region. However, you can still take a glimpse of the majesty of the desert at least out of the corner of your eye - the main thing is to know where and when to go.

The Sahara lies within the borders of eleven states, but you can visit without problems, perhaps, only three of them - Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco.

A bit of geography and politics

The Sahara almost completely occupies the area of ​​North Africa from the Mediterranean to 16° northern latitude, except for the rather narrow coastline of the continent, which is characterized by lush vegetation. Its area is 8.6 million km, which is about a third total area African continent. From west to east, the desert stretches for 4800 km, and from north to south its length is from 800 to 1200 km.

Contrary to popular belief, the Sahara is not only sand dunes and rare oases. The landscape here is no less diverse than in others. natural areas: there are rocky plateaus, and solonchaks, and volcanic formations, highlands and ridges. The sandy areas of the Sahara are called ergs, they are only 25% of the total desert area. And rocky areas are called "reg".

The Sahara lies within the borders of eleven states - Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Sudan and Chad. You can visit without problems, perhaps, only three of them - Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco. However, the most breathtaking landscapes lie, alas, in Algeria, Libya, Chad and Niger, which are difficult for tourists to reach.

Climate in the region

The northern part of the Sahara (which is most often visited by tourists) is under the influence of dry subtropical climate with relatively cool winters and hot summers. The average daily temperature of the summer season is about +37...+39 °С, at night the thermometer drops to +28...+30 °С. Winter is characterized by strong temperature fluctuations between daytime and nighttime: during the day the air warms up to +15 ... +17 ° С, while at night there may be zero readings or even frosts. Often strong south winds, bringing masses of sand - on such days, life in the Sahara freezes.

In the southern regions of the Sahara, the climate is tropical - summers are even hotter here, winters are colder.

It is best to visit the "civilized" Sahara (that is, its northern part) from October to early May, while daily temperatures have not yet become unbearable. If you are going to the Sahara for a few days, it is worth remembering that in December and January the nights are very cool, and you will need a warm sleeping bag. In June and September, you can visit the Sahara only if you tolerate high temperatures well.

Sahara civilized

So, where should a traveler who decides to see the indescribable beauty of the Sahara desert go? The choice, frankly, is small: Africa is not at all among the prosperous regions the globe, and Northern and Central - in particular.

Tunisia

The Tunisian south protrudes like a long narrow dagger into the Sahara - to the greatest "depth" in comparison with other "desert-possessing" countries accessible to the public. The landscapes of Tunisia were not the most outstanding, but not dull either. "Chip" of the Tunisian Sahara - big variety landscapes: you can see crescent-shaped dunes, and endless salt marshes, and filming locations - Star Wars was filmed on the salt lake Chott el-Jerid and in Matmata, and the Camel's Neck Mountain lit up in The English Patient.

The gateway to the Sahara Desert in Tunisia is the city of Douz, located on the border of the sands and the oasis of date palms. Its tourist area (and there are about seven very high-quality hotels here) is placed right on the expanses of the Sahara - get off the sidewalk and you will feel the finest, like powder, sand under your feet. Excursions to the Sahara are regularly sent from Douz, lasting from 1 hour (camel ride to the nearest dunes) to weekly and even two-week expeditions. Well, those who want to live "visiting the Sahara" can be offered to stay in a hotel in a remote oasis of Ksar Gilan - 147 km south of Douz, thermal source and the ruins of the Roman fort Tisavar as a historical excursion.

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Morocco

The southeastern region of Morocco, lying at the foot of the High Atlas mountains, is the most convenient for tourists to visit. middle class the Sahara region. In addition to the amazing landscapes - red dunes and exotic fortresses, many of which "participated" in the filming of many films (Ait Benhaddou is the most famous), there is also a natural and historical attraction - the Draa Valley. This is a whole wonderful world lush oases, fortified Kasbah forts and Berber settlements. Once upon a time, it was here that the difficult 52-day journey of trans-Saharan caravans, carrying precious goods from the capital of the ancient empire of Mali, Timbuktu, ended.

Today, popular excursions begin in the settlement of M'Hamid, from where tourists are transported along a picturesque 40-kilometer route to the heart of the Moroccan Sahara - Erg Shigaga. The second run-in route starts in the town of Merzouga, east of M'Hamid, and continues through the territory of another erg - Shebbi. It is here that a really brilliant collection of eternal dunes appears before the eyes of the traveler.

Egypt

The western regions of Egypt - although a vast, but not very interesting region of the Sahara - especially in comparison with the landscapes of hard-to-reach countries. However, in order to get an idea of ​​the desert, this area is quite suitable. More interesting here are the oases to the south of Siwa - a chain of lush emerald bushes, connected by roads barely visible on the rocky surface of the desert. In Siwa itself, among other things, you can see a medieval hut fortress and a temple dating from the time of Alexander the Great.

The southern oases of Al Kharga, Dakhla, Farafra and Bahariya are ideal starting points for excursions into the heart of the desert - by camel, 4x4 jeep or on your own. Outside the last settlements, the vast expanses of the White and Black deserts (they are all parts of the Sahara) and the picturesque Crystal Mountains begin, and even further south lie the filming locations for another scene of The English Patient - the Cave of Swimmers and the Gilf-Kebir plateau, on which once existed the oasis of Zerzura that disappeared without a trace.

Sugar hard to reach

The most magnificent landscapes of the Sahara lie, which is not surprising, in its inner regions - it is here that the highest 300-meter dunes are located, sands of shades from rich yellow and ocher-red to faint pink and almost white sing their songs, and dunes roam. Unfortunately, the situation in the region leaves much to be desired: the South Saharan countries are regularly shaken by internal conflicts, and tourism here is either simply not developed or is completely dangerous.

Algeria

Algeria is a country with the greatest content Sugar is "in the blood" and the safest of the hard-to-reach countries. 80% of its territory is occupied by the sands of this great desert. The sandy seas of the Sahara in Algeria are the longest and most deserted, and in the southeast of the country you can see the fantastic landscapes of the Ahaggar highlands and the Tassili mountains. By the way, in the Tassil mountains there is one of the oldest caves with rock art- honorary member of the UNESCO List. Tourism here is at an embryonic level - excursions will be offered with pleasure, but the organization will not shine, and there are almost no hunters to take risks. Nevertheless, for the future: among the “non-sandy” pearls of the Algerian Sahara are the cities of Ouargla, the “golden key to the desert”, Mzab with its fantastic architecture and Beni Isgen behind the impressive fortress gates.

Libya

Libya, alas, is lost to the world in general and tourism in particular, so one can only dream of traveling to the Libyan Sahara. This is doubly disappointing, since it is here that one of the most incredible landscapes of the desert is located - the volcanic mountains of Acacus. Black basalt rocks rise directly from the sands of the central Sahara - and it seems that we are not at all on planet Earth. The area is on the UNESCO List - not only because of the landscapes, but also because of the prehistoric rock paintings and inscriptions, some of them are over 12,000 years old. Another must-see place is the Tuareg citadel, the oasis of the Ghats.

It is definitely not worth going to Chad, Niger and Mali to get acquainted with the Sahara without armed guards.

Mauritania

Mauritania is not as inaccessible to those suffering from the Sahara as it might seem, and among active independent travelers from Europe continues to be a popular destination for car and motor rallies. It is easy to enter here from Morocco, a visa will cost from 50 to 95 EUR, permission to enter by personal transport can also be obtained without problems. However, this direction is definitely for daredevils - although the country is quite safe compared to its neighbors in the region, no one will give guarantees of returning safe and sound. Of the interesting - the endless desert plateau Adrar, where you can understand the scale of the Sahara as well as possible. Prices on the page are for August 2018.

Chad, Niger, Mali