Sahara Desert: secrets, riddles, facts. Fauna of the Sahara Desert Why does sugar reach the eastern borders of Africa?

North Africa is completely given over to the hottest desert in the world, the Sahara Desert is located here. On the map it resembles the shape of a rectangle, stretching for 4800 km from west to east and up to 1200 km from north to south. There is no exact data on the boundaries and area. We are talking about 8.6 million square meters. km, and the border expands annually by 6-10 km to the south. The map of the Sahara Desert partially includes 11 states: Mali, Morocco, Sudan, Niger, Chad, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Libya.

On the site of the present Sahara 10-12 thousand years ago there was a savannah. The climate was more humid, and crocodiles lived in the rivers. People were hunting. So why did the desert form in such a favorable place? And the Sahara Desert was formed due to drought, which began 5-7 thousand years ago. First, herbivores went deep into the continent, then predators, and eventually people. Only a few were able to survive where there was little water left and where a desert appeared.

The northern part has a dry subtropical climate, where cold winter and hot summers, large daily and annual temperature fluctuations. Rainfall mainly occurs from December to March. In the south it is dry tropical, with hot summers and mild, dry winters. In summer it rains, often with thunderstorms.

The air temperature in summer is on average +50° C (the maximum temperature of the thermometer rose to +58° C). The soil warms up to 70-80. At night it can drop to -18° C, and snow sometimes falls.

Many rivers make their way through the territory. For example: Nile, Niger, Draa, Saura, Ziz, etc. There are also lakes: Chad, Fagibin, Garou, Niangai, etc.

Very sparse flora of the Sahara. But they also adapted. Desert plants are mostly drought-resistant grasses, with an extensive root system that reaches 21 m in depth. Herbaceous plants can produce seeds within three days after precipitation; they can be sown within 10-15 days. In the mountainous areas grow olives, cypress, mastic tree, acacia, dustwood, oleander, dum palm, thyme, and dates. Citrus, olive, fruit trees, dates, figs, and vegetables are grown in the oases.

The fauna is much more diverse than other deserts, amounting to about 4 thousand species. Animals of the Sahara Desert have also learned to survive. Many lead night look life. They settle mainly near oases. Some people travel daily from pastures to rare, widely scattered bodies of water and find water there. Others extract the necessary amount of moisture from food (from the juice of leaves, seeds, prey). And some people produce water inside their body by breaking down fat reserves. One way or another, animals get water or have learned to get moisture. Here you can find jerboas, Cape hares, hedgehogs, rams, antelopes, gazelles, donkeys, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs, foxes, mongooses, ostriches, a secretary bird, guinea fowl, lizards, chameleons, monitor lizards, cobras, and vipers. And this is not the entire fauna of the Sahara. And the rare addax antelope and Dorcas gazelle are under threat of extinction.

The desert is popular with tourists. Many travel agencies lure tourists with photos of the Sahara desert. Here you can go on an excursion on a camel to the nearest city or on an expedition for two weeks. Those who like to tickle their nerves can fly on a motor hang glider.

The Sahara is a mysterious and largest hot desert in the world. It is so huge that its area is almost equal to the territory of the United States. In the Sahara, sand dunes are formed so high that they can reach up to 180-190 meters, and in winter snow cover appears on the peaks. In recent history, the Saharans have seen snow, it fell in 1879 and in 2012.

The territory of several states that are attractive to tourists covers that vast part of Africa (about 30%) where the Sahara Desert is located. Among these countries, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, and Mauritania stand out.

Sahara on the world map

The most hot desert globe from north to south - 800 - 1,200 kilometers and from west to east - 4,800 kilometers.

According to different sources The area of ​​Es-Sahra al-Kubra is 8.6 - 9.1 million square meters. kilometers. Scientists say that every year its area increases by several kilometers to the south.

Borders of the Sahara:

• the western part is limited by the Atlantic Ocean,
• northern region framed by the Atlas Mountains, the Mediterranean Sea,
• the eastern border runs along Red Sea,
• the southern sand dunes form the transition to the Sudanese savannah.

The stereotypical idea that the Sahara consists of endless, monotonous desert sands is wrong. There are several regions:

District name	Location, states
Tenere	northeast Niger, west Chad
Great Eastern Erg	Algeria, eastern outskirts - Tunisia, Libya
Great Western Erg	Northern Algeria
Tanezruft	Southern Algeria, Northern Mali
El Hamra	Libya
Igidi	Algeria and Mauritania
Erg Shesh	southwestern Algeria and northern Mali
Arabian	Egypt
Algerian	Algeria
Libyan	Libya (eastern part), Egypt (west of the country), Sudan (northern areas)
Nubian	Sudan, southern Egypt
Talaq	Western Niger, Algeria, Mali

Sahara desert climate

According to scientific research The Sahara has become deserted natural area 5 million years ago. The following features are typical for the climate:

• percent relative humidity – 30-50;
• high volatility;
• the presence of 2 types of climate: the northern part is dry subtropical, southern part– dry tropical.

The northern region is characterized by a number of features:

• a high annual rate is recorded temperature fluctuations;
• the temperature in the desert during day and night also has a significant difference;
• winter is cool, summer period hot;
• average temperature level in winter +13°С, in summer + 37.2°С;
• the rainiest months are August (frequent thunderstorms), December-March;
• spring is accompanied by multi-day hot winds leading to dust storms.

For southern zone characteristic:

• hot summer period,
• in winter there is mild, dry weather, average temperatures do not differ from subtropical ones;
• a minimum of -15°C is stated;
• temperature indicator + 50°C maximum;
• rains are insignificant, more often in summer.

Desert Animals

The driest areas have little diversity of animal life. The main habitat areas are the central highlands. Most representatives of the animal world are unique in their kind, since they have adapted to the harsh conditions of the desert and are often nocturnal.

Interesting. It is believed that the ancient Egyptians used the image of a horned viper to depict the hieroglyph “phi” due to the similarity of the sound it makes and the pronunciation of the hieroglyph. Snake charmers still use this type in their performances.

• Dromedaries or dromedary camels domesticated, used for riding and transporting goods. The hump, which stores fat reserves, allows them to be hardy.
• Horned Saharan viper - dangerous poisonous snake nocturnal lifestyle. It emits a continuous hiss to scare away enemies.
• The Dorcas gazelle is an animal 65 centimeters high, weighing 25 kilograms, and reaching a speed of approximately 80 km/h. It survives thanks to its sand-colored camouflage coloration and its ability to feed on dew and water-storing plants. Sensing the approach of a predator, she instinctively jumps away, which serves as a warning to other animals.
• The mendes antelope or addax has special structure paws, which, on the one hand, helps movement along sandy soil, and on the other hand, it makes it difficult to avoid attacks from predators. On at the moment habitat, the number of livestock is significantly reduced.
• Sahara ostriches are classified as a separate subspecies of African ostriches. The characteristics of ostriches provide them with the opportunity to live in the desert: covering long distances at great speed (70 km/h), high levels of hearing and vision, powerful legs that help fight off predatory animals.
• Cold-blooded monitor lizards are very armed dangerous poison, which is used for hunting small animals and insects. Adapted to heat, they become aggressive in the cold.
• Fennec fox is a nocturnal miniature fox with unusual big ears which help avoid overheating.
• Dung beetle, aka Holy Scarab, rolls up a ball of ungulate dung with the help of its hind legs, hides it in underground voids, feeds and lays eggs.

Interesting. The ancient Egyptian god Khepri was depicted with the head of a scarab beetle. According to legend, he possessed the secrets of the sun and rolled it across the sky.

How to get to the Sahara

The tourist’s path depends on the territory of which state of the African continent contains any attraction of the Sahara Desert.

Moscow-Tunisia

Advice. The optimal choice would be to fly to Djerba-Zarzis airport, as it is located closer to the Sahara.

Moscow – cities of Egypt

Moscow – cities of Morocco

Moscow - Algeria

The cost of the flight is approximately 227 USD - 230 USD.

Moscow – Mauritania

City	Approximate cost there
Nouakchott	396 USD
Nouadhibou	1400 USD

The city of Douz, located on the border of the oasis, is considered the gateway to the Sahara. On its outskirts there is a symbolic key that opens the way for wanderers. Tourists are offered excursions:

• camel ride to the nearest dune (20 USD);
• visit to a remote oasis among the dunes of Ksar Gilan (thermal waters) (168 USD);
• ruins of an ancient Roman settlement, drying up salt lake Chott el-Jerid with the opportunity to see mirages, Sahara Explorer program (2 days) – 98 USD;
• jeep ride – 120 USD.

Interesting. There are guided tours of the Star Wars filming locations.

Egypt offers travelers not only to relax on the beach, but also to get acquainted with the sights of the desert (approximate cost):

• Giza Valley, pyramid complex, Sphinx (35 USD);
• numerous oases from which you can go for a walk on a camel, by car, or on foot (with a tourist group) (25 USD – 35 USD);
• the city of Siwa, ancient fortress, Temple of Alexander the Great, Crystal Mountains (5 days, 300 USD);
• the Bahariya oasis introduces the life of the Bedouins (155 USD – 259 USD);
• the city of Muta, the Ethnographic Museum, the Dakhlya oasis, the Nile Valley, the opportunity to conduct a health course using thermal springs (300 USD – 400 USD).

Travelers to Morocco are attracted by:

• Draa Valley with oases, red dunes, ancient fortresses (300 USD);
• By SUV or camel you can explore the virgin ergs of Shigaga (200 USD).

Many famous Hollywood films were filmed in the valley, including “Gladiator”, “The Pearl of the Nile”, “The Mummy”.

Almost the entire state is located in the Sahara. Tourists are recommended to see:

• rock paintings of the Tassili Mountains;
• Mzab Valley, 5 cities with unique architecture.

Tours to Algeria cost from 1000 USD.

Mauritania

Despite the tense political situation, desperate tourists are attracted by the Adrar plateau. The Gu-Er-Rishat formation, which has not been precisely studied, has a diameter of 50 kilometers, and became famous after being photographed from space. The cost of a tour to Mauritania is 3030 USD – 3380 USD.

Lovers active recreation will appreciate a trip to the Sahara.

Despite popular belief, the Sahara Desert on the map is not the largest in the world. In fact, in terms of area it is inferior Antarctic desert, but among hot deserts and located on inhabited continents, the Sahara is the undisputed leader.

Sahara Desert on the map of the world and Africa

The Sahara is the greatest desert in the world, not in size, but in influence on history and modern life person. Humanity lived in the Sahara many millennia ago, as evidenced by more than 3 thousand rock paintings in various parts of the desert.

And now the Sahara has a huge influence on the political, economic and cultural life of North Africa.

Because of their huge The size of the Sahara is distinguished by a fairly diverse climate, soil type, living conditions and local inhabitants - from Arabs in the north to black peoples in the south of the desert.

What continent is it on?

Sahara is located in the northern part African continent and extends from the coast in the north to tropical savannas Sahel in the south at 16° N. sh., from the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the east of the continent.

Which country does it belong to?

The following African states are located wholly or partially on the territory of the Sahara:

• Libya;
• Tunisia;
• Algeria;
• Western Sahara;
• Mauritania;
• Mali;
• Niger;
• Chad;
• Sudan.

History and names

Scientists believe that even in 5-4 millennium BC e. trees grew in the Sahara, earth's surface was covered with grasses and shrubs, and water resources were represented by numerous lakes.

Presumably, complex desertification began at the same time due to a decrease in moisture and the predominance of moisture evaporation over precipitation.

Reason This could be due to both natural factors (climate change) and an anthropogenic factor - the transition of local tribes to a pastoral type of animal husbandry, which led to desertification. On the other hand, such a transition could be caused by the transformation of once flourishing savannas into desert.

Be that as it may, in about a thousand years The Sahara turned into a desert, and the desertification process was completed by the middle of the 3rd millennium BC. e.

The name Sahara presumably comes from the Arabic word "ṣaḥārā", which means "desert". Another possible origin of the name is from the Arabic “sahra”, which means “red-brown”. The name of the desert has been fixed since the 1st century AD. e. after Arabic-speaking tribes reached the Sahara.

If your acquaintance with the Sahara is accompanied by a vacation in Tunisia, then find out what weather conditions in the country by month.

Climatic conditions

Climate of the Sahara - deserted(arid), characteristic feature which is the predominance of evaporation processes over humidification processes.

The southern part of the desert has dry tropical climate with hot summers and mild winters. The amount of precipitation per year is usually about 130 mm. IN winter time At night the air temperature can drop below zero, and in the summer it often reaches +50°C.

The northern part of the desert has dry subtropical climate with hot summers and relatively cold winter. Average temperature air in summer reaches +37°C, and in winter in mountainous areas it can drop to -18°C. This part of the desert is characterized by high daily fluctuations in air temperature due to night cooling. The average annual precipitation does not exceed 75 mm.

Sand Sea - what is it like?

Sahara - active desert, which annually increases its area, moving southward by 10 km.

Characteristics of endless sands

About a quarter of Sugar consists of sand dunes, a quarter - from mountains of volcanic origin, and half from barren rocky plains and cliffs. The area of ​​the territory with stable vegetation does not exceed several percent.

One of the reasons for the dryness of the Sahara is the presence of the Atlas Mountains in the north of the desert, which block the access of humid Mediterranean air to the Sahara.

The central part of the Sahara, where there is the least amount of annual precipitation (no more than 20 mm per year), is one of the most lifeless places on Earth. The average amount of biomass in this part of the desert drops to 2 kg/ha or less.

Square The desert covers almost 9 million km², which is equal to almost 30% of the territory of Africa. The desert stretches for 4.8 thousand km from west to east and 1.2 thousand km from north to south.

Water sources in the Sahara are:

1. artesian groundwater , above the surface of which there are oases;
2. rainwater, which fills gelts (ponds or natural puddles) and wadis (dry beds of ancient rivers filled with rainwater);
3. large rivers on the outskirts of the desert (Nile, Niger).

Flora and fauna

A significant part of the desert has no vegetation at all and is classic sand. Mainly resistant to arid climate plants grow in oases and high-altitude areas (grass, small shrubs and trees). Various varieties are grown in oases cultivated plants: dates, olives, figs, vegetables.

Fauna Sugars are mainly represented various types rodents and reptiles, as well as birds, more than half of which are migratory. TO large mammals include antelopes, rams, and Nubian donkey. Predators - spotted hyena and a cheetah. Most of the Saharan animals are active at night, when the heat is not so great.

For those wishing to visit deeper places in the Sahara, it is recommended to get to erga Shigaga- a conglomerate of sand dunes in the heart of the Moroccan Sahara. There is a tent camp here, where tourists can expect all the benefits of civilization available in the desert.

Picturesque Shigaga, whose dimensions are 30 by 15 km, exceeds any expectations: countless untouched dunes, practically devoid of vegetation, stretch to the end of the horizon.

Another popular route in the Moroccan part of the Sahara is a trip to Ergu Chebbi through the village of Merzouga. Erg Chebbi is as colorful as Shigagu, but getting to it is a little more difficult.

Mauritania

Mauritania is located almost entirely within the Sahara, but travel here is rarity due to the poverty of the local population, lack of infrastructure and quite high level crime in the country.

For those who decide to tour this exotic country, it will be interesting to visit Adrar plateau, in which the list objects are located World Heritage UNESCO - villages of Ouadan and Chinguetti. On the plateau itself, despite its lifelessness, there are more than 20 large oases, including quite large city Atar.

Algeria

Algeria is a country with greatest The territory of the Sahara in its composition, more than 80% of the country's area is occupied by desert.

The most stunning desert landscapes are located in the south-eastern part of Algeria at the foot of the Tassile Mountains.

Tassil Plateau- one of the objects of the UNESCO list; the oldest petroglyphs, whose age ranges from 2 to 9 thousand years, were found in local caves.

Others man-made attractions Algerian part of the Sahara are:

1. Ouargla city;
2. Mzab Valley with fortified cities.

These settlements are of great value from a historical and architectural point of view and were founded and developed in the 10th century Ibadis- a branch of Muslims distinct from Sunnis and Shiites.

Of the natural attractions of the Algerian part of the Sahara, it stands out Ahaggar Highlands in the south of Algeria, consisting of volcanic remains of bizarre shapes. Open on site national park Ahaggar, and the guides of tourists are local Tuaregs, whose unique culture will be interesting for any tourist.

Borders

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

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

Regions

It is difficult to attribute the Sahara to any specific type of desert, although the sandy-rocky type predominates here. It includes the following regions: Tenere, Greater Eastern Erg, Greater Western Erg, Tanezruft, Hamada el-Hamra, Erg Igidi, Erg Shesh, Arabian, Algerian, Libyan, Nubian deserts, Talaq desert.

Climate

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

High temperatures, with their sharp fluctuations, and very dry air make being in the desert very difficult. Only from December to February does the “Saharan winter” begin - a period with relatively cool weather. During winter, temperatures in Northern Sahara can drop below 0° at night, although during the day they rise to 25°. Sometimes it even snows here.

Desert nature

Bedouin walks along 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 topography. In the center of the desert there are mountain ranges more than 3 km high, but along the outskirts there are pebbly, rocky, clayey and sandy deserts, in which there is practically no vegetation of any kind. It is there that nomads live, driving herds of camels across sparse pastures.

Oasis

The vegetation of the Sahara consists of bushes, grasses and trees in the highlands and oases located along river beds. Some plants have completely adapted to the harsh climate and grow within 3 days after rain, and then sow 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 dromedary camels, some of which were domesticated by nomads, still live in small herds, feeding on cactus spines and parts of other desert plants. But these are not the only ungulates that live in the desert. Pronghorn Addax, Maned Ram, Dorcas gazelle and Oryx antelope, whose curved horns are almost as long as their body, have also perfectly adapted to survive in such difficult conditions. The light color of their coat allows them not only to escape the heat during the day, but also not to freeze at night.

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

The Sahara Desert is also home to predators, the largest of which is the fennec fox, a small fox with wide ears. Dune cats also live there, horned vipers and rattlers, leaving winding tracks on the surface of the sand, and many other species of animals.

Video: From Casablanca to the Sahara

Sahara in cinema

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 films left their memory among the sands. The planet Tatooine was not actually lost in the distances of space, but was located in the Sahara. There is an entire “extraterrestrial” village from the last series “ Star Wars" At the end of filming, the “aliens” left their homes, and now the quaint dwellings and gas station of interplanetary aircraft at the disposal of rare tourists. Next to Tatooine, the white Arabian house from The English Patient is still visible. You can only get here by jeep and with an experienced guide, because you have to drive off-road, with complete absence signs and landmarks. Fans of “The English Patient” need to hurry a little more and the merciless dune will finally bury this unusual attraction under the sand.

The air temperature in summer rises to 58°, and in winter it remains within 15-28° C.

Sand dust from the Sahara strong winds, during frequent sandstorms, can be reported even to Europe.

An interesting fact is that there are maps on which areas where mirages are observed are marked. And more than 150 thousand of them are observed in the Sahara!

The mysterious and almost mystical eye of the Sahara.

Map of the ancient Sahara.

The vegetation cover of the Sahara includes 1,200 plant species. Most of them are xerophytes or ephemerals. Rocky areas seem lifeless, but even on such soil, seemingly unreal for life, you can find plants that amaze with their ability to adapt to harsh conditions deserts.

Rose of Jericho is a plant whose short branches seem to be pinching its seeds with fingers. When it's raining, these “fingers” unclench and the seeds fall into wet soil, where they germinate very quickly.

The seeds of other plants also use every drop of moisture, but if not favorable conditions, can sit in dry soil even for several years.

Lichens, small plants with spines and small leaves, spread on the sands and rocks. Gray, grey-green and yellow tones of the vegetation give a lifeless, sad look to the entire desert.

Shrubs and some tough grasses appear near the southern border of the Sahara, and wild pistachios, jujubes and oleanders can be found in the north.

Animal world

The fauna of the Sahara is poor in species, but quite rich in individuals. It includes animals that can move quickly in search of food and water, and can also endure all the harsh conditions of the desert.

The most typical antelopes for the Sahara are oryx and addax, dama gazelle, dorcas gazelle, mountain goats. Because of their valuable skins and delicious meat some species are at the stage of extinction.

The most famous predators are jackals, foxes, hyenas, and cheetahs.

There are also birds - migratory and permanent. Among the permanent residents, the desert raven is especially popular.

Of the reptiles, lizards predominate, and there are also many snakes and turtles. And in some reservoirs, real crocodiles have been preserved.

Of course, living in the conditions of the Sahara is very difficult, but for many it is their native land, so they get to feel not only the severity, but also the caress of the desert.

Watch the video: Fearless Planet - Sahara Desert (Discovery: Fearless Planet. Episode 1 Sahara Desert).

Sahara. Tuareg salt caravan. Jim Brasher lives the life of a Tuareg in a salt caravan in the middle of the Sahara Desert.

In the wilds of Africa-2. Episode 3. Sahara. Life on the edge / Sahara. Life On The Edge

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