How big is the Sahara desert and where is it?
What is the Sahara desert?
The Sahara desert is a massive area of sand and rocks. It is known as the largest hot desert in the world! But how big is it, exactly? Let’s find out!
How big is it?
The Sahara desert is HUGE – it’s about 9.2 million square kilometers, which is about the same size as the United States! That’s a lot of sand!
To help you picture it, imagine having to run, walk, or even hop from one side of the desert to the other. It would take days and days, without any roads or buildings to help you along the way!
Where is it located?
The Sahara desert stretches across eleven different countries in northern Africa. Can you name some of them? They include Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia, and Western Sahara.
It’s amazing to think that one desert can cover parts of so many countries!
What’s it like in the Sahara?
The Sahara desert is very, very hot during the day, but it can also get very cold at night. It hardly ever rains there, so finding water can be really difficult.
In some places, the wind blows the sand into dunes – those big, tall hills of sand you might have seen in pictures. They’re like mountains made out of sand!
Plants and Animals
Despite the tough conditions, the Sahara is home to some incredible plants and animals. Some plants, like the cactus, have learned to store water so they can survive the dry desert days. Animals like the camel have a special hump to store fat, which helps them go without water for a long time. How clever!
Fun Sahara Facts!
- The Sahara desert covers about 1/3 of the whole continent of Africa!
- The word “Sahara” means “desert” in Arabic – the main language spoken in the region.
- If you look at the Sahara desert from above, you can see some cool patterns in the sand that were formed by the wind. It’s like a gigantic art piece!
- While it may seem like there’s nothing but sand, the Sahara is also home to some amazing rock formations, salt flats, and even lakes!
- People have lived in the Sahara desert for thousands of years. They have learned to adapt to the hot days, cold nights, and scarce water.
So, to sum it all up, the Sahara desert is the biggest hot desert in the world, spanning over eleven different countries in Africa. It’s a dry and very hot place during the day, but it’s also home to amazing plants and animals that have adapted to survive. That’s the incredible Sahara desert for you!
