hara Deser

Sa t
A desert is an area that receives less than 25cm of rainfall
in a year. One of the largest deserts in the world is the
Sahara, which is in Africa.

What Is the Sahara Desert Like?

Where Is the Sahara Desert?
The Sahara is hot and dry. The highest point in the
desert is Mount Koussi in Chad, which is 3415m The Sahara is in northern
high. Its lowest point is the Qattara Depression in Africa. It spans across
Egypt, which is 133m below sea level. 11 countries, including
Sand dunes and sand sheets cover around a quarter Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mali
of the Sahara. The rest of the desert is made up of and Morocco.
areas of gravel, flat land and mountains.

The desert has two main climate zones. The north

has a dry subtropical climate while the south How Big Is the Sahara Desert?
has a dry tropical climate. Both zones experience
very hot summers and cooler winters. Night time The Sahara covers an area
temperatures can be much cooler and temperatures of around 8,600,000 km².
of freezing and below have been recorded. The It is the third largest desert
highest temperature ever recorded in the Sahara in the world, behind the
was 47°C (116.6F), which was reached in Algeria. Antarctic and Arctic Deserts.
The Sahara is the world’s
hottest desert.

Did You Know…?

A desert doesn’t have to be

hot and sandy. The largest
desert in the world, the
Antarctic Desert, is the
sand dunes - Mounds of sand formed by the wind. coldest desert and is covered
in snow and ice.
sand sheets - Areas of flat or slightly rippled sand.

visit twinkl.com
 hara Deser
Sa t
What Wildlife Is There in the Sahara Desert?

Despite the climate, there is an abundance of wildlife in the Sahara. Mammals include
the desert hedgehog, the sand fox, the common jackal and the Barbary sheep. Over 300
different species of birds can be found in the Sahara, including ostriches, desert eagle owls
and sand larks. Cactus plants, palm trees and even a type of olive tree grow in the desert.

Did You Know…?

Barbary sheep, which look

a lot like goats, are the only
type of wild sheep that live
in Africa.

Barbary Shee
p
Who Lives in the Sahara Desert?

Over two million people live in the Sahara Desert. Many people live a nomadic lifestyle,
which means they don’t settle in one place but travel within a certain area to find food and
water. These include the Berber people and the Bedouin people. Other groups of people live
in permanent settlements near water sources.

visit twinkl.com