Two Defining Characteristics of the Sahara Desert
- Immense Size: The Sahara is the world's largest hot desert, spanning ~9.2 million km² (3.6 million sq mi) across 11 North African countries (Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia, and Western Sahara).
- Extreme Temperatures: Summer highs can reach 57°C (135°F) due to intense solar radiation at the Tropic of Cancer, lack of cloud cover, and minimal vegetation. Daily temperature swings are also extreme.
Wanderlust World