With an area almost the size of the USA, it is the largest dry desert in the world. It makes up 8% of the earth’s surface. Contrary to popular belief, only 10% to 20% of the entire desert is sand. The rest is made up of rocks, stones and boulders.

The name is derived from the Arabic word for desert (Al-Sahra). In Arabic, the Sahara is called the “great desert” or the “sea without water”.

The highest temperature ever measured in the Sahara was almost 58°C. Temperatures fluctuate greatly during the day and at night. The daily temperature difference can be up to 40°C! In winter, the temperature rarely exceeds 15°C during the day and at night it can be as low as -20°C. The Arabic saying is absolutely right: “The Sahara is a hot land where it gets very cold”.

Around three million people live in the endless expanses of this beautiful desert. The only permanently irrigated river is the Nile in the east. There is also only one freshwater lake in the entire Sahara. The only sources of water are therefore oases.