When you are asked to say the name of a desert, the most common thing is that the name of the Sahara comes to mind. It is the most famous in the world and the truth is that it does not surprise me, since among other things it has the privilege of being the largest on the planet.
Next I am going to tell you that and other curiosities that will allow you to know it much better.
The oases are not an urban legend
There are miles and miles of sand in which it is not advisable to get lost, although luckily there are also oases where you can recharge your batteries. The underground aquifers of the place have made it possible for there to be oases such as those of Bajariya, Gardaya or Awbari , which would come to be like service stations for those who arrive with an empty canteen.
It is the largest desert in the world
As I have commented previously, the Sahara is the largest desert in the world with just over 9,065,000 square kilometers. It occupies almost the entire area of North Africa and is almost as large as the United States or China.
It has come to snow on its sand
It seems that it is impossible, but the truth is that sometimes it has snowed in the Sahara. So far it has only happened in the dunes of Aïn Séfra , which is an Algerian city in which quite low temperatures are recorded at night. It happened in 1979 and 2016.
The legend of Merzouga
There is a legend that speaks of Merzouga, a Moroccan town near the border with Algeria in which they say that many years ago something happened that still resonates. A woman and her son asked for help while the villagers celebrated a party. Nobody helped them and they ended up dying. After a while, a great sandstorm covered the town and since then they say that screams are heard from the dunes at noon. Is it true?
It is easy to find cave paintings
Those who lived in the Sahara long ago took refuge in caves and used their time to record drawings of people and animals, something that can be perfectly appreciated on the Gilf Kebir plateau, which is located in Libya and Egypt.
A salty lake
Chott el Djerid is the name of a huge salt lake of 7,000 square kilometers (20 kilometers at its narrowest and 250 kilometers in length) that is located in Tunisia. It only has water during the rainy season and the water evaporates easily in summer, since maximum temperatures of 50 ° C are reached. That is why in summer it is completely dry.
Pyramids in Sudan
Although we all know the pyramids of Egypt, it must be said that in Sudan there are also pyramids. In total there are about 250 and they are considerably smaller than those of Giza. They were built by the Kushites between 260 BC. C. and 300 d. C.
The smallest fox in the world is in the Sahara
The desert fox, also known as fennec, is an animal that lives at night in underground shelters . It has large ears that serve as a ventilation and blood cooling system to withstand the extreme conditions of the desert.
The setting for some famous movies
In the Sahara desert scenes from such well-known films as " Raiders of the Lost Ark " have been shot with Indiana Jones running around. We must also mention Tataouine, in Tunisia, which has been seen in "Star Wars."
A white desert in Egypt
In Egypt, in addition to the pyramids, one can contemplate the beauty of the white desert that has been formed thanks to the color of the limestone, not because it has fallen snow or because it is frozen. In addition, the erosion caused by the strong wind has made it have curious shapes.
The sturdy rose of Jericho
If you are one of those who cannot have plants at home because you do not have time to water them, the Rose of Jericho from the Sahara desert may be made for you. When it dries up, its branches contract and can remain closed and dry for many years. That is until they find water and moisture , since at that moment it returns to its original shape.