434:
40:
56:
326:
379:). The Sahara Desert is one of the driest and hottest regions of the world, with a mean temperature sometimes over 30 °C (86 °F) and the average high temperatures in summer are over 40 °C (104 °F) for months at a time, and can even soar to 47 °C (117 °F). In desert rocky mountains such as the
484:
In 2001, WWF devised
Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World (TEOW) "a biogeographic regionalization of the Earth's terrestrial biodiversity". The 2001 regionalization divided the deserts of the Sahara into several ecoregions. The Sahara desert ecoregion included the Sahara's hyper-arid center, and the
594:
Olson, D. M., Dinerstein, E., Wikramanayake, E. D., Burgess, N. D., Powell, G. V. N., Underwood, E. C., D'Amico, J. A., Itoua, I., Strand, H. E., Morrison, J. C., Loucks, C. J., Allnutt, T. F., Ricketts, T. H., Kura, Y., Lamoreux, J. F., Wettengel, W. W., Hedao, P., Kassem, K. R. 2001. Terrestrial
391:
Precipitation in the Sahara Desert is scarce, as the whole desert generally receives less than 100 millimetres (3.9 in) of rain per year except on the northernmost and southernmost edges as well as in the highest desert mountains. More than half of the desert area is hyper-arid and virtually
387:
in
Algeria, average highs in summer are slightly moderated by the high elevation and are between 35 and 42 °C (95 and 108 °F) at 1,000 to 1,500 metres (3,300 to 4,900 ft) elevation. Daily variations may also be extreme: a swing from 37.5 to −0.5 °C (100 to 31 °F) has been
251:
in the east, and from the
Mediterranean Sea in the north to the Sahel savanna in the south. The vast desert encompasses several ecologically distinct regions. The Sahara Desert ecoregion covers an area of 4,619,260 km (1,783,510 sq mi) in the hot, hyper-arid centre of the Sahara,
416:
occur in the early spring. Local inhabitants protect themselves from the heat, the sunshine, the dry air, the high diurnal temperature ranges, and the sometimes dusty or sandy winds by covering their heads, such as the
392:
rainless, with an average annual precipitation below 50 millimetres (2.0 in) and many consecutive years may pass without any rainfall. The south of the Sahara Desert, along the boundary with the
634:
627:
604:
Eric
Dinerstein, David Olson, et al. (2017). An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 6, June 2017, Pages 534–545,
620:
734:
294:
Some mountain ranges rise up from the desert and receive more rainfall and cooler temperatures. These
Saharan mountains are home to two distinct ecoregions; the
441:
The Sahara was one of the first regions of Africa to be farmed. Some 5,000 years ago, the area was not so arid and the vegetation might have been closer to a
493:
489:
739:
688:
311:
500:
and South
Saharan steppe and woodlands ecoregions were extended towards the central Sahara, and the South Saharan steppe and woodlands was renamed
356:, which originates in east Africa and empties northward into the Mediterranean Sea. Some areas encompass vast underground aquifers, resulting in
810:
775:
17:
877:
693:
295:
271:
coasts. The North
Saharan steppe and woodlands receives more regular winter rainfall than the Sahara Desert ecoregion. The
729:
714:
683:
668:
497:
272:
256:
907:
488:
In 2017, the authors of the 2001 system proposed a revised ecoregion system for the Sahara. Two new ecoregions, the
785:
373:
846:
841:
760:
584:
279:
grasslands. The South
Saharan steppe and woodlands receive most of their annual rainfall during the summer. The
932:
922:
882:
405:
252:
surrounded on the north, south, east, and west by desert ecoregions with higher rainfall and more vegetation.
790:
780:
719:
196:
485:
more humid
Saharan mountains and southern, northern, eastern, and western deserts were separate ecoregions.
917:
912:
897:
892:
755:
646:
220:
85:
902:
887:
826:
805:
765:
452:
The Sahara is largely undisturbed. The most degradation is found in areas where there is water, such as
836:
212:
456:
or along the desert margins where some rain usually falls most years. In these areas, animals such as
724:
612:
560:
433:
663:
770:
673:
280:
39:
800:
393:
260:
461:
8:
501:
68:
388:
observed. Typical temperature swings are between 15 and 20 °C (27 and 36 °F).
795:
473:
404:, receives most of its annual rainfall during the highest-sun months (summer) when the
369:
303:
856:
264:
583:"Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World". World Wildlife Fund. Accessed 25 April 2020.
643:
45:
534:
927:
446:
345:
709:
595:
ecoregions of the world: a new map of life on Earth. Bioscience 51(11):933-938.
337:
268:
244:
352:), and salt flats. The only permanent river that crosses the ecoregion is the
871:
422:
319:
236:
851:
469:
240:
275:
ecoregion lies to the south, between the Sahara Desert ecoregion and the
605:
353:
184:
180:
169:
146:
73:
642:
283:
lies in the coastal strip between the Sahara Desert ecoregion and the
831:
649:
418:
413:
409:
310:, and other ranges in the western and central Sahara Desert and the
288:
55:
449:
set in around 3000 BC, and the area became much like it is today.
465:
442:
380:
336:
The surface of the desert ranges from large areas of sand dunes (
325:
315:
299:
284:
248:
121:
116:
476:
is recorded in the Sahara: the Zellaf Nature
Reserve in Libya.
445:. Previous fauna may be recognised in stone carvings. However,
384:
341:
239:
is the world's largest hot, non-polar desert and is located in
224:
216:
307:
496:, were designated in the hyper-arid center. The transitional
457:
453:
401:
357:
329:
276:
156:
151:
136:
131:
80:
349:
141:
126:
219:, between latitudes 18° N and 30° N. It is one of several
735:
Red Sea Nubo–Sindian tropical desert and semi-desert
360:, while other regions severely lack water reserves.
259:
ecoregion lies to the north and west, bordering the
223:ecoregions that cover the northern portion of the
287:. The western portion of the region is known as
869:
740:South Iran Nubo–Sindian desert and semi-desert
689:Tibesti–Jebel Uweinat montane xeric woodlands
628:
312:Tibesti–Jebel Uweinat montane xeric woodlands
215:(WWF), includes the hyper-arid center of the
100:4,619,260 km (1,783,510 sq mi)
428:
635:
621:
558:
776:Central Afghan Mountains xeric woodlands
479:
432:
324:
291:, on the border of Mauritania and Mali.
14:
870:
616:
561:"Where is the Sahara Desert Located?"
529:
527:
525:
523:
521:
519:
517:
811:Registan–North Pakistan sandy desert
694:West Saharan montane xeric woodlands
437:Addaxes grazing in a deserted region
296:West Saharan montane xeric woodlands
730:Persian Gulf desert and semi-desert
24:
715:Azerbaijan shrub desert and steppe
684:South Saharan steppe and woodlands
669:North Saharan steppe and woodlands
514:
498:North Saharan steppe and woodlands
273:South Saharan steppe and woodlands
257:North Saharan steppe and woodlands
25:
944:
559:Tarhlaoui, Sefiane (2023-06-05).
472:for their meat. Only one area of
172:; intermittent rivers and streams
786:Central Asian riparian woodlands
54:
48:, a desert area in western Libya
38:
27:The ecology of the Sahara desert
847:Great Lakes Basin desert steppe
842:Gobi Lakes Valley desert steppe
761:Badghyz and Karabil semi-desert
598:
588:
577:
552:
406:Intertropical Convergence Zone
13:
1:
791:Central Asian southern desert
781:Central Asian northern desert
720:Central Persian desert basins
507:
374:Köppen climate classification
368:The Sahara Desert features a
878:Deserts and xeric shrublands
756:Afghan Mountains semi-desert
647:deserts and xeric shrublands
86:Deserts and xeric shrublands
7:
827:Alashan Plateau semi-desert
806:Paropamisus xeric woodlands
766:Baluchistan xeric woodlands
10:
949:
837:Eastern Gobi desert steppe
363:
230:
221:desert and xeric shrubland
213:World Wide Fund for Nature
819:
748:
725:Mesopotamian shrub desert
702:
656:
408:moves up from the south.
195:
190:
176:
165:
104:
96:
91:
79:
67:
62:
53:
37:
32:
908:Ecoregions of Mauritania
429:History and conservation
664:Atlantic coastal desert
322:of the eastern Sahara.
18:Sahara Desert ecoregion
771:Caspian lowland desert
674:Red Sea coastal desert
539:Terrestrial Ecoregions
462:scimitar-horned oryxes
438:
340:), to stone plateaus (
333:
281:Red Sea coastal desert
243:. It extends from the
933:Palearctic ecoregions
923:Flora of North Africa
883:Ecoregions of Algeria
801:Kopet Dag semi-desert
541:. World Wildlife Fund
480:Ecoregion delineation
436:
394:hot semi-arid climate
328:
261:Mediterranean climate
565:Happy Morocco Travel
263:regions of Africa's
211:, as defined by the
918:Ecoregions of Sudan
913:Ecoregions of Niger
898:Ecoregions of Libya
893:Ecoregions of Egypt
502:South Sahara desert
247:in the west to the
197:Conservation status
903:Ecoregions of Mali
888:Ecoregions of Chad
796:Kazakh semi-desert
494:East Sahara desert
490:West Sahara desert
439:
370:hot desert climate
344:), gravel plains (
334:
865:
864:
857:Taklamakan Desert
205:
204:
16:(Redirected from
940:
637:
630:
623:
614:
613:
607:
602:
596:
592:
586:
581:
575:
574:
572:
571:
556:
550:
549:
547:
546:
531:
421:garment worn by
383:in Libya or the
348:), dry valleys (
58:
42:
30:
29:
21:
948:
947:
943:
942:
941:
939:
938:
937:
868:
867:
866:
861:
815:
744:
698:
652:
641:
611:
610:
603:
599:
593:
589:
582:
578:
569:
567:
557:
553:
544:
542:
535:"Sahara Desert"
533:
532:
515:
510:
482:
447:desertification
431:
366:
304:Tassili n'Ajjer
233:
161:
113:
112:
49:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
946:
936:
935:
930:
925:
920:
915:
910:
905:
900:
895:
890:
885:
880:
863:
862:
860:
859:
854:
849:
844:
839:
834:
829:
823:
821:
817:
816:
814:
813:
808:
803:
798:
793:
788:
783:
778:
773:
768:
763:
758:
752:
750:
746:
745:
743:
742:
737:
732:
727:
722:
717:
712:
710:Arabian Desert
706:
704:
700:
699:
697:
696:
691:
686:
681:
676:
671:
666:
660:
658:
654:
653:
640:
639:
632:
625:
617:
609:
608:
597:
587:
576:
551:
512:
511:
509:
506:
481:
478:
430:
427:
365:
362:
332:Oasis in Libya
269:North Atlantic
245:Atlantic Ocean
232:
229:
203:
202:
199:
193:
192:
188:
187:
178:
174:
173:
167:
163:
162:
160:
159:
154:
149:
144:
139:
134:
129:
124:
119:
110:
109:
108:
106:
102:
101:
98:
94:
93:
89:
88:
83:
77:
76:
71:
65:
64:
60:
59:
51:
50:
46:Tadrart Acacus
44:Sand dunes in
43:
35:
34:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
945:
934:
931:
929:
926:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
889:
886:
884:
881:
879:
876:
875:
873:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
845:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
824:
822:
818:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
779:
777:
774:
772:
769:
767:
764:
762:
759:
757:
754:
753:
751:
747:
741:
738:
736:
733:
731:
728:
726:
723:
721:
718:
716:
713:
711:
708:
707:
705:
701:
695:
692:
690:
687:
685:
682:
680:
679:Sahara desert
677:
675:
672:
670:
667:
665:
662:
661:
659:
655:
651:
648:
645:
638:
633:
631:
626:
624:
619:
618:
615:
606:
601:
591:
585:
580:
566:
562:
555:
540:
536:
530:
528:
526:
524:
522:
520:
518:
513:
505:
503:
499:
495:
491:
486:
477:
475:
471:
467:
463:
459:
455:
454:aquifer oases
450:
448:
444:
435:
426:
424:
420:
415:
411:
407:
403:
399:
395:
389:
386:
382:
378:
375:
371:
361:
359:
355:
351:
347:
343:
339:
331:
327:
323:
321:
320:Jebel Uweinat
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
292:
290:
286:
282:
278:
274:
270:
266:
265:Mediterranean
262:
258:
253:
250:
246:
242:
238:
237:Sahara Desert
228:
226:
222:
218:
214:
210:
209:Sahara desert
200:
198:
194:
189:
186:
182:
179:
175:
171:
168:
164:
158:
155:
153:
150:
148:
145:
143:
140:
138:
135:
133:
130:
128:
125:
123:
120:
118:
115:
114:
107:
103:
99:
95:
90:
87:
84:
82:
78:
75:
72:
70:
66:
61:
57:
52:
47:
41:
36:
33:Sahara desert
31:
19:
852:Qaidam Basin
820:Eastern Asia
749:Central Asia
703:Western Asia
678:
600:
590:
579:
568:. Retrieved
564:
554:
543:. Retrieved
538:
487:
483:
474:conservation
451:
440:
397:
390:
376:
367:
335:
293:
254:
241:North Africa
234:
208:
206:
191:Conservation
177:Climate type
470:over-hunted
227:continent.
872:Categories
650:ecoregions
644:Palearctic
570:2023-06-16
545:2011-03-21
508:References
414:sandstorms
354:Nile River
201:Vulnerable
185:hyper-arid
181:hot desert
170:Nile River
147:Mauritania
74:Palearctic
832:Dzungaria
400:) of the
92:Geography
466:bustards
289:El Djouf
458:addaxes
443:savanna
381:Tibesti
364:Climate
342:hamadas
316:Tibesti
314:in the
300:Ahaggar
298:in the
285:Red Sea
249:Red Sea
231:Setting
225:African
122:Algeria
117:Morocco
105:Country
63:Ecology
928:Sahara
657:Africa
464:, and
423:Tuareg
419:cheche
385:Hoggar
217:Sahara
166:Rivers
410:Wind-
402:Sahel
358:oases
350:wadis
330:Ubari
277:Sahel
157:Sudan
152:Niger
137:Libya
132:Egypt
81:Biome
69:Realm
492:and
468:are
412:and
318:and
267:and
255:The
235:The
207:The
183:and
142:Mali
127:Chad
111:List
97:Area
398:BSh
377:BWh
346:reg
338:erg
308:Aïr
874::
563:.
537:.
516:^
504:.
460:,
425:.
306:,
302:,
636:e
629:t
622:v
573:.
548:.
396:(
372:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.