Namib
A coastal desert in Southern Africa, possibly the world's oldest.
The Namib is a coastal desert in Southern Africa, stretching for more than 2,000 kilometers along the Atlantic coasts of Angola, Namibia, and northwest South Africa. It is considered the only true desert in southern Africa and may be the oldest desert in the world, having endured arid or semi-arid conditions for roughly 55–80 million years.
- location
- Southern Africa (Angola, Namibia, South Africa)
- oldest_desert_claim
- possibly the oldest desert in the world (55–80 million years)
Lore & Background
The Namib Desert extends from the Carunjamba River in Angola southward to the Olifants River in South Africa. Its northern portion is known as the Moçâmedes Desert, and it gradually ascends in elevation from the Atlantic coast eastward to the foot of the Great Escarpment.
Reader's Guide
The Namib is significant as one of the world's driest and oldest deserts, with only the Atacama Desert in western South America challenging it for age and aridity. Its coastal fog belt, formed by the collision of the cold Benguela Current and warm air, provides vital moisture for endemic species and has caused over a thousand shipwrecks along the Skeleton Coast. The desert is almost completely uninhabited except for small settlements and indigenous groups such as the Ovahimba, Obatjimba Herero, and Topnaar Nama. It is home to many endemic species, including the welwitchia plant, and supports wildlife such as brown fur seals, shorebirds, lions, elephants, and rhinos. The Namib is also an important location for mining tungsten, salt, and diamonds.
Did You Know?
- The name Namib is of Khoekhoegowab origin, meaning 'vast place' or 'an area where there is nothing'.
- The Namib may be the oldest desert in the world, having endured arid conditions for roughly 55–80 million years.
- The sand dunes in the Namib are the second-largest in the world, after those in China's Badain Jaran Desert.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Namib?
The Namib is a coastal desert running along the Atlantic Ocean in Southern Africa, spanning parts of Angola, Namibia, and northwest South Africa. It is recognized as the only true desert on the southern African continent.
Why is the Namib considered so significant?
It may hold the title of the oldest desert on Earth, having persisted under arid or semi-arid conditions for an estimated 55 to 80 million years. It is also the sole true desert in all of southern Africa.
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