Topic – The Sahara Desert

Location

The Sahara Desert is in northern Africa.

Size

The Sahara is the world’s largest hot desert. From east to west, it stretches for almost 5000 km.

Landscape

Some of the desert is covered with large sandhills called dunes. Other parts of the desert are rocky. There are even mountains and volcanoes in some parts of the desert. In a few places there is water, and trees and other plants grow. The Nile River runs through the Sahara.

Rainfall

Very little rain falls in a desert. When it does rain in the Sahara, it does not rain everywhere. Some parts of the desert might not get any rain for years.

Temperature

During the hottest months, the temperature can climb to over 50°C. At night, the temperature can drop to almost 0°C.

Wind

Desert winds make sand dunes form. A strong wind can create a sand storm. The air fills with sand and it is very hard to see.

Animals

The antelope and the hyena are two large animals that live in the Sahara. Small animals include rats, gerbils, snakes, and scorpions.

People

About 4 million people live in the Sahara. Some live in cities, but most are nomads who move from place to place rather than living in one place.