It’s a common misconception that the Sahara is the world’s largest desert. In actual fact, it’s the largest hot desert behind the Arctic and Antarctica, which are both cold deserts.
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The Sahara Desert spans some 8,600,000 square kilometres. However, this changes over time as the actual area of the desert expands and contracts with the seasons.
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Scientists estimate that the Sahara’s overall size has grown to be 10% larger than it was nearly a century ago.
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the Sahara reaches a total of 11 countries. These include Egypt, Algeria, Chad, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Western Sahara and Tunisia.
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The Sahara gets its name from the Arabic word sahra, which means ‘desert’.
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Sand dunes and sheets cover only around 25% of the Sahara’s actual surface.
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this desert’s highest point is an extinct volcano called Mount Koussi in Chad, which has an elevation of 3,415 metres.
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Sahara is home to a variety of wildlife that has adapted to a life of extremes. Alongside camels and goats, desert species include cheetah, gazelles, ostrich, Fennec fox and monitor lizards.
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Around 2.5 million people also call the Sahara home, most of which have Berber or Arabic roots.
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Saharan trade routes played an important part in the economies of Ancient Africa. Goods such as copper, salt and gold were transported using camel caravans