The Sahara is not just any desert; it is the largest desert in the world, spanning an area of about 8.54 million sq. km. To put this into perspective, India, with its vast landscapes, covers only 3.28 million sq. km, meaning the Sahara Desert is more than double the size of India. Geographically, the Sahara stretches across eleven countries in North Africa: Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia, and Western Sahara.

Landscape

When one imagines a desert, it’s typical to visualise expansive sand dunes stretching to the horizon. While the Sahara certainly has its share of sand, it’s also home to gravel plains and strikingly elevated plateaus featuring bare, rocky surfaces. Some of these rock formations reach impressive heights, soaring more than 2,500m above the desert floor.

Climate

The Sahara’s climate is notoriously harsh. It is characterised by its scorching hot and extremely dry conditions. Rain is a rare occurrence, and when it does happen, it’s during a short-lived rainy season. The Sahara’s sky is usually devoid of clouds, ensuring that any moisture present quickly evaporates, perpetuating the desert’s dry state. Daytime temperatures can be oppressively hot, often climbing as high as 50°C. This intense heat warms up the desert’s sand and rocks, which in turn radiate this heat, intensifying the already hot surroundings. In stark contrast, the desert nights can be bone-chillingly cold, with temperatures sometimes plunging close to zero degrees Celsius.

Flora And Fauna