Interesting facts about the Sahara Desert

The Sahara Desert, covering a large part of northern Africa, is one of the most famous places on the continent.

In ancient Arabic, Sahara means "empty space" or "space where nothing grows," or in other words, desert. It is the third largest desert in the world , covering an area of ​​approximately 8.6 million ^square kilometers. In the 1990s, the Sahara expanded by nearly 636,000 ^square kilometers.

The Sahara Desert stretches across 10 countries, including Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, and Tunisia.

The Sahara is the hottest desert in the world. Daytime temperatures here can reach 50 degrees Celsius, while nighttime temperatures can drop to 0 degrees Celsius.

Many scientists have evidence suggesting that the Sahara Desert was once a tropical rainforest. Fossilized tree trunks have been found, proving that a vast, dense forest may have existed there. In addition, numerous rock carvings indicate that the Sahara was once home to animals such as lions, crocodiles, hippos, and elephants.

The rare phenomenon of snowfall in the Sahara Desert has occurred before. The first instance was on a night in 1979, when snow fell for half an hour and melted several hours later as the sun rose. In recent years, this phenomenon has also occurred due to climate change.

The Sahara Desert is home to two main tribes: the Bedouin and the Tuareg. The Bedouin are an Arab tribe who still speak languages ​​originating from the Arabian Peninsula, while the Tuareg are nomadic people who speak Berber languages.

In the Sahara Desert of Egypt lies a place called Wadi Hitan, which means "Valley of Whales." This name arose after archaeologists found the carcasses of thousands of whales in the area. Additionally, many dinosaur fossils have also been found in the Sahara.

A marathon race across a section of the Sahara Desert was held, known as the Marathon Des Sables. The race took place over seven days along a 250 km route. The biggest obstacle for the runners wasn't the distance, but the heat, which reached up to 50 degrees Celsius.

The Sahara boasts a diverse range of wildlife, including nearly 70 species of mammals, around 90 species of birds, and over 100 species of reptiles. One of the most common animals in the Sahara is the Arabian camel. They have adapted to the arid climate and can go without food or water for 17 days. However, when they find water, they can drink over 100 liters in just 10 minutes. Goats are also a popular domesticated animal in this desert.

The main river in the Sahara Desert is the Nile. It is the second longest river in the world, originating in the East African country of Rwanda and flowing into the Mediterranean Sea.

Sand from the Sahara Desert is carried by the wind to the Amazon rainforest and becomes a natural fertilizer for the trees there.

The world record for crossing the Sahara Desert by bicycle was set in 2011 by a British man with a time of 13 days and 5 hours.

The vegetation in the Sahara is also very diverse. Due to the high temperatures, there are about 1,100 plant species here, mostly shrubs.

The Ténéré tree is known as the most isolated tree in the world because it is the only tree in the Sahara Desert within a 200 km radius. However, the tree died when it was hit by a drunk driver in 1973.

According to Zing.vn

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/giai-tri/nhung-su-that-thu-vi-ve-sa-mac-sahara/249898.htm