The Sahara Desert: Growing a Little Every Year

Did you know that the Sahara Desert expands by about 1% each year?

The Sahara Desert is a huge, sandy place in Africa. It's one of the biggest deserts in the world. Did you know that the Sahara Desert is getting a little bit bigger each year? Let’s find out more about how and why this happens!

What is a Desert?

A desert is a place that gets very little rain. It’s usually very dry and has lots of sand or rocks. Deserts can be hot, like the Sahara, or cold, like Antarctica.

What is Happening to the Sahara Desert?

The Sahara Desert is growing a bit each year. This means that the desert is slowly getting larger. Every year, the Sahara expands by about 1%. That’s like if you had a big sandcastle and it slowly got a little bit bigger over time.

Why is the Sahara Desert Expanding?

Several things can cause the Sahara Desert to grow:

Climate Change: The Earth's climate is changing, which can make deserts grow. When it gets warmer and drier, more land can turn into desert.
Less Rain: The Sahara doesn’t get much rain, and if it gets even less, more land becomes dry and sandy.

What Does Growing Mean?

When we say the Sahara Desert is growing, we mean that more land is turning into desert. Plants and animals that used to live there might have to move to find water and food.

Fun Facts About the Sahara Desert

Biggest Hot Desert: The Sahara is the biggest hot desert in the world. It covers a huge part of Africa.
Sand Dunes: The Sahara has giant sand dunes that can be very high and look like big waves made of sand.
Desert Animals: Even though it’s dry, the Sahara has animals like camels, lizards, and scorpions that can live in the harsh conditions.

The Sahara Desert is slowly getting bigger each year by about 1%. This happens because of changes in the climate and less rain. Even though it’s growing, the Sahara is a fascinating place with unique animals and landscapes!