Sugar is the largest of the hot deserts of the world. Interesting Facts about the Sahara Desert Sugar Desert Water Resources in Summary

The territory of several states attractive to tourists cover the extensive part of Africa (about 30%), where the Sahara desert is located. Among these countries, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania are especially allocated.

Sugar on the world map

The hottest desert globe From north to south - 800 - 1,2 kilometers and from west to east - 4,800 kilometers.

According to various sources, ES-Sahra-El Kubra area is 8.6 - 9.1 million square meters. kilometers. Scientists argue that each year its area increases a few kilometers south.

Sakhara boundaries:

the western part limits the Atlantic Ocean,
the North Area framed Atlas Mountains, Mediterranean Sea,
eastern border passes by Red Sea.,
the southern sand dunes form the transition to Sanna Sudan.

The stereotypical view is that sugar is the endless monotonous sand sands, erroneously. Several regions allocate:

Name of the Area	Location, states
Tennel	northeast Niger, West Chad
Big East Erg.	Algeria, Oriental Outskins - Tunisia, Libya
Big Western Erg.	North Algeria
Tanzeruth.	South Algeria, Northern Mali
El Hamra	Libya
Igidi	Algeria and Mauritania
Erg-Shesh	southwestern part of Algeria and the northern part of Mali
Arabian	Egypt
Algerian	Algeria
Libyan	Libya (Eastern Part), Egypt (West Country), Sudan (Northern Regions)
Nubian	Sudan, south of Egypt
Talak	West Niger, Algeria, Mali

Climate of the desert sugars

According to scientific research Sugar became desert natural zone 5 million years ago. The following features are typical for climate:

the percentage of relative humidity is 30-50;
high evaporation;
the presence of 2 types of climate: the northern part is the dry subtropical, the southern part is dry tropical.

The Northern District is characterized by a number of features:

the high indicator of annual temperature fluctuations is recorded;
the temperature in the desert day and night also has a significant difference;
winter cool, summer period is hot;
the average temperature level in winter + 13 ° C, in summer + 37.2 ° C;
maximum rainy months - August (frequent thunderstorms), December-March;
spring accompany multi-day hot winds leading to dust storms.

For southern zone Characteristic:

hot summer period
in winter, soft, dry weather, the average temperature indicators do not differ from subtropical;
stated minimally -15 ° C;
temperature indicator + 50 ° C maximum;
the rains are not effective, more often in the summer.

Animals desert

The most arid areas have a poor variety of animal world. The main habitats are central highlands. Most of the representatives of the animal world are unique in their own way, since they adapted to the stringent conditions of the desert, often the night image of life behave.

Interesting. It is believed that the ancient Egyptians for the image of the Jeroglyph "FI" used the image of a horned viper due to the similarity of the sound and pronouncing the hieroglyph. Snake casternals still use this species in their speeches.

Dromedars or single-burnt camels are domesticated, serve for riding, freight cargo. Gorb, storing fat, allows them to be hardy.
Horned Sugar Vijuk - Dangerous poisonous snake Night lifestyle. It makes continuous hiss in order to scare enemies.
Gazelle-Dorkas - Animal 65 centimeters high, weighing 25 kilograms, a developing speed of about 80 km / h. It survives due to its masking color under the color of sand, as well as the ability to eat dew and plants that retain water. Feeling the approach of the predator, she instinctively jumps off, which serves as a warning for other animals.
Antelope Mendez or Addax has a special structure of the paws, which, on the one hand, helps moving on sandy soil, and on the other hand, prevents from avoiding the attack of predators. On the this moment The habitat, the number of livestock is significantly reduced.
Sugara's ostrichs are distinguished into a separate subspecies of African ostriches. Features of ostriches provide them with the opportunity to live in the desert: overcoming large distances with a huge speed (70 km / h), high hearing and vision, powerful legs, helping to fight off from predatory animals.
Cooling wrasters are armed with a very dangerous poison, which is used for hunting for small animals, insects. Adapted to the heat, they become aggressive in the cold.
Fenneke - a night miniature fox having unusual big ears that help to avoid overheating.
Zho-native, he is the sacred scarab, rolls the ball from the litter of hoofs with the help of the rear legs, hides it into underground emptiness, feeds and puts eggs.

Interesting. The ancient Egyptian god Hepry was depicted from the head of the beetle scarab. According to legend, he owned the secrets of the sun and rolled it across the sky.

How to get to Sahara

The path of the tourist depends on the territory of which state of the African continent there is any landmark of the Sahara desert.

Moscow-Tunisia

Council. The optimal will be the choice of flight to Jerba Zarzis Airport, as it is located closer to Sahara.

Moscow - Cities of Egypt

Moscow - Cities Morocco

Moscow - Algeria

The cost of the flight is approximately 227 USD - 230 USD.

Moscow - Mauritania

City	Approximate cost, there
Nouakshot	396 USD.
NUADIBU	1400 USD.

The gate of the Sahara is the city of Duz, located on the border of the oasis. On its outskirts there is a symbolic key that opens the way to wanderers. Tourists offer excursions:

on camel to the nearest dune (20 USD);
a visit to a remote oasis among Dunes Xar Gilan (thermal waters) (168 USD);
the ruins of the ancient Roman settlement, drying salt Lake Schott-El-Jerid with the ability to see Miragei, the program "Sugar Researcher" (2 days) - 98 USD;
ride on jeep - 120 USD.

Interesting. Excursions are held at the places of filming "Star Wars".

Egypt offers travelers not only to relax on the beach, but also to get acquainted with the attractions of the desert (approximate cost):

Giza Valley, Pyramid Complex, Sphinx (35 USD);
numerous oasis, from which you can go for a walk on a camel, car, on foot (tourist group) (25 USD - 35 USD);
siva city, ancient fortress, Alexander Macedonian temple, Crystal Mountains (5 days, 300 USD);
oasis Baharia introduces domestic Bedouins (155 USD - 259 USD);
muta City, Ethnographic Museum, Oasis Dahl, Nile Valley, Ability to hold a wellness course using thermal sources (300 USD - 400 USD).

Traveling in Morocco attract:

drama Valley with oases, red dunes, ancient fortresses (300 USD);
on an SUV or camel, you can see the virgin Ergy Shigaga (200 USD).

A lot of famous films of Hollywood was filmed in the valley, among which the "gladiator", "Pearl Nile", "Mummy".

Almost all the state is located in Sahara. Tourists are recommended to see:

frame drawings of Tassilian mountains;
mzab Valley, 5 cities with unique architecture.

Tours to Algeria stand from 1000 USD.

Mauritania

Despite the intense political situation, desperate tourists entails the Adrar Plateau. Accurately not studied formation of Gu-Er-rishat, having a diameter of 50 kilometers, has become famous after a picture from space. Tour cost in Mauritania - 3030 USD - 3380 USD.

Lovers of outdoor activities will appreciate the journey through Sahara.

Despite the widespread opinion, the Sahara desert on the map is not the largest in the world. In fact, in its area, it is inferior to the Antarctic desert, but among the hot deserts and the unconditional leader located on the sugar-inhabitable continents.

Sugar desert on world map and Africa

Sugar is the greatest desert of the world not in size, but by influence on history I. modern life man. Humanity dwells on the territory of Sugara, many millennia ago, as evidenced by more than 3 thousand rocking patterns in various parts of the desert.

And now sugar has a huge impact on political, economic and cultural life North Africa.

Because of their huge Sugar sizes is quite pretty a variety of climates, soil type, living conditions and local inhabitants - from Arabs in the north to Negro Nativity in the south of the desert.

What continent is there?

Sugar is located in the northern part African continent And extends from the coast in the north to the tropical savannas Sahel in the south at 16 ° C. sh., from the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in the West to the East of the Continent.

Which country treats?

The following African states are fully or partially located on the territory of the Sahara:

Libya;
Tunisia;
Algeria;
West Sahara;
Mauritania;
Mali.;
Niger;
Chad;
Sudan.

The history of the emergence and name

Scientists believe that in 5-4 millennium BC e. Trees have grown on the territory of the Sahara, ground surface It was covered with herbs and shrubs, and water resources were represented by numerous lakes.

Presumably, at the same time, a complex desertification began due to the reduction of moisturizing and the predominance of moisture evaporation over precipitation.

Cause it could be like natural factors (climate change) and anthropogenic factor - the transition of local tribes on the shepherd-type animal husbandry, which led to desertification. On the other hand, such a transition could be caused by the transformation of the once blooming savannah in the desert.

Be that as it may, approximately for a thousand years Sugar turned into a desert, and the desertification process was completed by the middle of the 3rd millennium BC. e.

Sugar name, presumably, comes from Arabic words "Ṣaḥārā"What does "desert" mean. Another version of the origin of the name is from the Arab Sahra, which means "red-brown". The name of the desert is fixed from the I century n. e. After the Arabital tribes reached the territory of the Sahara.

If acquaintance with sugar is accompanied by holidays in Tunisia, then find out what weather conditions in the country for months.

Climatic conditions

Climate Sahara - deserted (Arid), a characteristic feature of which is the predominance of evaporation processes over moisturizing processes.

The southern part of the desert has dry tropical A climate with a hot summer and soft winter. The amount of precipitation for the year is usually about 130 mm. In winter, the air temperature may fall below zero, and in the summer it often reaches values \u200b\u200bof + 50 ° C.

The northern part of the desert has such subtropical Climate with hot summer and relatively cold in winter. average temperature Air in the summer reaches + 37 ° C, and in the winter in the mountainous regions can be lowered to -18 ° C. For this part, the desert is characterized by high daily air temperature fluctuations due to night heating. The average annual precipitation does not exceed 75 mm.

Shortborn - What is it?

Sugar - active desertwhich annually increases its area, moving in the southern direction by 10 km.

Characteristics of endless sands

About a quarter of sugar consists of sand dunes, on a quarter - from the mountains of volcanic origin, and half of the non-fermented stony plains and rocks. The area of \u200b\u200bstable vegetation does not exceed a few percent.

One of the causes of dry sugar is the presence of atlas mountains in the north of the desert, which overlap the access of the wet Mediterranean air into the sugar.

The central part of the Sahara, where the smallest number of annual precipitation is marked (not more than 20 mm per year) is one of the most lifeless places on earth. The average number of biomass in this part of the desert drops to 2 kg / hectares and less.

Area The desert is almost 9 million km², which is almost 30% of the territory of Africa. The desert extended 4.8 thousand km from the west to the east and 1.2 thousand km from the north to south.

Sources of water On the territory of the Sahara are:

artesian underground watersover the surface of which there are oases;
rainwaterwhich fills the Gelta (ponds or natural puddles) and Wadi (drying the line of ancient rivers filled with rainwater);
large rivers On the outskirts of the desert (Neil, Niger).

Flora and fauna

A significant part of the desert does not at all have vegetation and is classic sands. Basically, plant-resistant plants grow in oases and high-rise (grass, small shrubs and trees). In oases are grown a variety of cultural plants: dates, olives, figs, vegetable crops.

Fauna Sahara mainly represented various species Rodents and reptiles, as well as birds, more than half of which are migrable. A large mammal includes antelopes, rams, Nubian donkey. Predators - spotted hyena and cheetah. Most of the animals of Saharan are active in the night when the heat is not so great.

For those who want to visit more depths of the Sahara, it is recommended to get to erga Shigaga - Conglomerate of sand dunes in the heart of Moroccan Sahara. Here is a tent camp, in which tourists expect all the benefits of civilization in the desert.

Painting Shugaga, the dimensions of which are 30 by 15 km, exceeds any expectations: countless untouched dunes, practically devoid of vegetation, are extended to the end of the horizon.

Another popular route in the Moroccan part of the Sahara - a trip to eirg Shebbi Through the village of Merzuga. Erg Shebbi is not inferior to Shugagu's color, however, it's a little more difficult to get to it.

Mauritania

Mauritania is almost completely located within the sugar, however, the trips here are frequency Because of the poverty of the local population, the lack of infrastructure and a rather high level of crime in the country.

For those who decide on a tour in this exotic countrywill be interested to visit plateau Adrar.in which the list objects are located World Heritage UNESCO - Village Wordan and Shingetti. On the plateau itself, despite his lifelessness, there are more than 20 major oasis, including the rather major city of Atar.

Algeria

Algeria - a country possessing high The territory of the Sahara in its composition, more than 80% of the country area is occupied by the desert.

The most amazing imagination of the landscapes of the desert are located in the southeastern part of Algeria at the foot of Tassilian mountains.

Plateau Tassil - One of the objects of the UNESCO list, the oldest petroglyphs are found in local caves, whose age consists of 2 to 9 thousand years.

Other anthropogenic sights Algerian parts of the Sahara are:

city of Uargla;
mzab Valley with fortified cities.

These settlements are of great value from a historical and architectural point of view and were based on and built up in the X century ibadithithi - Muslim branches different from Sunnis and Shiites.

From the natural attractions of the Algerian part of the Sahara stands out highlands Ahaggar In the south of Algeria, consisting of volcanic remains of bizarre forms. On the territory open national Park Ahaggar, and tourist guides are local inhabitants of Taways, to get acquainted with a kind of culture of which will be interested in any tourist.

The air temperature in the summer rises to 58 °, and in the winter, it is saved in the range of 15-28 ° C.

Sand dust with sugar strong winds, during frequent sand storms, can even convey to Europe.

An interesting fact is that there are cards that are marked by areas where Mirage is observed. And there are more than 150 thousand in Sugar!

Mysterious and almost mystical sachara eyes.

Map of ancient sugar.

Sugar vegetation cover has 1,200 species of plants. Most of them are xerophytes or ephemers. Stony areas seem lifeless, but even on such, it would seem unreal for life, soil can be found plants that are affected by their ability to adapt to the harsh conditions of the desert.

The Jerichon Rose is a plant, the short branches of which, as if the fingers clap his seeds. When it's rainingThese "fingers" squeeze and the seeds fall into the wet soil, where they sprout very quickly.

Seeds of other plants also use every drop of moisture, but if there are no favorable conditions, they can sit in dry ground for several years.

Lichens, small plants with spines and small leaves are swarming on the sands and stones. Gray, gray-green and yellow vegetation cover tones give lifeless, sad view of the whole desert.

Shrubs and some hard cereals appear at the southern border, and wild pistachios, yuyuba and olendars can be found in the north.

Animal world

Fauna Sugara poor species, but rather rich in individuals. It includes animals that can quickly move in search of food and water, and can also take out all the brutal desert conditions.

The most typical of the Sahara are Oriks and Addax Antelope, Gazelle Dama, Gazelle Dorkas, mountain goats. Because of their valuable skins and delicious meat, some species are at the stage of disappearance.

The most famous predators are jackals, foxes, hyenas, cheetahs.

There are birds - migratory and constantly living. Among the constantly living especially popular deserted raven.

Lizards predominate from reptiles, as well as many snakes and turtles. And in some reservoirs, the most real crocodiles are preserved.

Of course, living in the conditions of sugar is very difficult, but for many it is native land, therefore not only the severity, but also the caress of the desert they are sense.

Watch the video: Fearless Planet - Sahara Desert (Discovery: Fearless Planet. Episode 1 Sahara Desert).

Sahara. Salt caravan Tuaregov. Jim Bresher lives the life of the taguega in the salt caravan in the center of the Sahara desert.

In the wilds of Africa-2. 3 series. Sahara. Life on the face / Sahara. Life on the edge

But the animals of the Sahara desert entering the list of those who were able to adapt to the harsh conditions of the desert, so they can be made to the list of the most interesting animals of our planet.

The animals of Sugara are unique in their kind, and most of them are almost impossible to meet in other parts of the world.

1. Animals in the desert: horned viper

According to its scientific name - CeraStes CeraStes - it may seem that these reptiles are harmless. In fact, the poison of horns of viper causes serious damage to the tissues and red blood tales. Hemotoxins in the body can lead to fatal outcome. To date, this is an extrusion view.

2. Animal world of desert: one-torque camel

It is worth noting that in the past a large number of one-corne camels (or dromedars) naochesed in the deserts of North Africa, but today it is possible to meet only domesticated animals, which, being incredibly strong and endless animals, help people in the African and Asian countries to carry heavy loads.

They are also used for riding. Contrary to the opinion of many people, in their hump these animals do not store water, and fat that feed in the event of a lack of food.

3. Animals living in the desert: Gazelle-Dorkas

This animal has a sand color, which helps to be masked in the desert. Thanks to the dew on plants with which it feeds, as well as the use of water-feeding plants, this gazelle can almost never drink.

An animal can reach a height of 65 cm and weight in 25 kg. It is worth noting that Gazelle-Dorkas instinctively jumps off when the predator approaches. This reflex serves as a signal warning other gazelles. In addition, Gazelle-Dorkas runs very quickly, reaching speeds of almost 80 km / h.

4. Animals of the Sahara Desert: Sacred Scarab (or Zho-Troop)

This beetle is thrown on the litter of hoofs. When the sacred scarab finds a litter, he begins to roll his back pair of legs, riding him into a ball. After that, he rolls a manure ball into underground emptiness, where he eats it.

At the autumn, the scarab time uses a manure to prepare an even greater ball, and hides it in a large cavity - the female puts eggs into it.

5. What animals live in the desert: Addax (or Antilope Mendez)

Earlier, addax could be seen in the deserts and semi-deserts extending from Western Sahara and Mauritania to Egypt and Sudan. Today, the range significantly decreased - Mendez Antelope can be found only in several sandy and stony deserts of Niger, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Libya and Sudan.

Thanks to the structure of their paws, these creatures can easily move on complex, sandy territories. But, the same makes them vulnerable in the face of danger - it is difficult for them to escape from predators. In total, there are about 500 individuals in the world.

6. Animals Desert Africa: Yellow Scorpio Leiurus QuinquestriTusus

Sugar is also a house of dangerous inherited yellow scorpion. While larger brothers cause fear with their sizes, this little scorpion uses its weakness and fragile appearance of a tongue to destroy the enemy.

The main weapon of this scorpion is neurotoxins. Despite the fact that an adult healthy person may experience only pain from the attack of yellow scorpion, for children and old people this battle may end fatly.

7. What animals live in the Sahara desert: African Ostrich

Although the ostrich does not know how to fly, it is one of the fastest animals on the ground that can develop speed up to 70 km / h.

But besides its speed, the ostrich boasts several more characteristics: it can move to huge distances, has excellent hearing and vision and can safely fight back from predators with its mighty legs.

Basically feeds on the grass, but sometimes it can eat small animals. Sugar desert ostrises are a separate subspecies.

8. Animals who live in the Sahara desert: Varan

Unlike simple lizards, Varan is very dangerous due to poison, which can be compared with the snake. But it's not worth afraid, because It usually uses its main weapon for insect hunting, rats and other small animals.

These cooling creatures easily adapt to the hot climate of the desert. When it becomes very cold, they become more aggressive. In addition, they do not like to live in captivity.

Sugar is the biggest and hot desert in the world, its inhabitants must constantly fight for survival. Only the most endless species of animals live here.

About a quarter of today's territory, Sugara covers sands, among which there are no signs of life. Such sandy deserts in Arabic are called "ERG". They were formed on old plains inflicted by rivers. The rest of the sugar desert is pebble deserts "Reggae", which are formed on the plateau and the plains of the hill. Stony and scrubly empty are called "Hamadami."

A modern desert relief was formed under the influence of precipitation, which in antiquity were abundant. It rains and now make changes to the landscape of the desert, but the main role is played by sand, which slowly moves. It has polishing properties and "Captures" the surrounding rocks to the brilliance, exudes their fit down, and some pierces through. Therefore, the local relief is constantly changing, acquiring all new features.

Eastern sugar is the most sunny place on Earth. The sun shines here 4000 hours a year, that is, almost 11 hours a day.
In the Sahara lives the most poisonous fatty scorpion in the world. The man bite him dies after four hours, and the dog is in a matter of minutes.
Sometimes the strong gusts of the wind rise in the atmosphere small particles of sand, their, air flows are transferred to the most Alps. Then the snow in the mountains acquires red color.
In the Libyan city of El Azizya, which is located on the northern part of the desert, was registered the most heat Air on Earth: +58 ° C in the shade.
Sugar takes the surface of nine million square kilometers. It is located in North AfricaFrom the Atlantic Ocean in the West to the Red Sea in the East and size is almost equal to the territory of the United States.

Birds Sahara

Rowbirds nest in the desert, flying over water over long distances. When the male row drinks, the tricks on the chest are impregnated with water, which he relates chicks.

Climate and vegetation

For most of the territory, the Sahara does not have 100 mm of precipitation for the year, whereas for Central Europe the norm is about 1000 mm. In some areas, the Sahara do not fall rain for years, and only a sudden change in the weather brings the desired moisture. Often the morning dew is the only source of water for animals inhabiting the desert.

In the afternoon there is an unbearable heat in the desert, and the cold comes at night. Desert plants can be divided into two groups. The first includes most types of branched root system and liquid leaves.

The plants of the second group, which are also called ephemers, generate seeds that are waiting for moisture in the soil for many years. After the first rain, it gives sprouts that quickly flourish and fruit - this happens in a short time not exceeding two weeks. However, the palm palm tree is not included in any of the mentioned groups.

Reptiles, amphibians and insects

Scorpions, and spiders living in sugar, most of the necessary water are obtained with food. The bodies of many of them cover a chitine shell, which limits the removal of fluid from the body. In addition, most insects allocate wax that envelops the body with a protective film.

Insects, for example, locust, during the rain begin to multiply at a huge speed. Insects and other invertebrates become a source of liquid for lizards and snakes. With cold nights, many reptiles fall into a stupor, because they slow down blood circulation.

In the morning they take sunbathing and, warming up, go hunting. The air temperature is dangerous, so many lizards at noon are hiding underground. Snakes, for example, hogucky, deeply buried in cool and wet sand. Water is necessary for reproduction. Frogs Wife Tasheyapist find a way out of the position, laying the caviar in the puddle formed after the rain.

Mammals

Most large mammalsIf they got into the desert, they would quickly die from the thermal impact and dehydration of the body. Sugar heavy conditions adapted to the rapid gazelles. Gazelle-Dorcas all life is engaged in search of plants, which will give her at least a little water.

Phenox.