Sahara -

: While often pictured as endless sand dunes (some reaching 180 meters tall), the landscape also includes salt flats, stone plateaus, and mountains.

The Sahara was once a "Green Paradise." Around 11,000 years ago, it featured lush forests, grassy plains, lakes, and rivers. Sahara

: Half of the region receives less than 1 inch of rain annually, and some areas may go years without any precipitation. Historical Transformation : While often pictured as endless sand dunes

The Sahara is the world's largest hot desert and the third-largest desert overall, following the cold deserts of Antarctica and the Arctic. Spanning approximately 3.6 million square miles (9.4 million square kilometers), it covers nearly one-third of the African continent—an area roughly the size of the United States. Geography and Environment Historical Transformation The Sahara is the world's largest

: The Sahara is one of the harshest environments on Earth. Daytime Highs : Temperatures regularly exceed ) in summer.

The desert's name is derived from the Arabic word ṣaḥrāʾ , which simply means "desert". It stretches across 11 North African countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Sudan.

: Winter nights can see temperatures plummet to