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How would you describe the Sahel?
A largely semi-arid belt of barren, sandy and rock-strewn land, the Sahel marks the physical and cultural transition between the continent’s more fertile tropical regions to the south and its desert in the north. Geographic definitions of the Sahel region vary.
What is the climate like in Sahel?
The climate of the Sahel is arid and hot, with strong seasonal variations in rainfall and temperature. The Sahel receives about 200-600 mm (6-20 in) of rainfall a year, which falls mostly in the May to September monsoon season.
What is happening to Sahel?
The arid belt of the Sahel stretches from Senegal on the coast of West Africa to Djibouti on the east. Hundreds of millions of people call the region home, but for years, this area has suffered the effects of frequent drought, desertification and other symptoms of a changing climate.
What are environmental or humanitarian concerns in the Sahel?
The Sahel is particularly vulnerable to rainfall variability, land degradation, and desertification due to its high dependence on rain-fed agriculture and livestock, according to a study by the UN Environment Program. Climate change is introducing even more unpredictability in water and food availability.
What is the biggest problem facing the Sahel countries?
The environmental crisis Historically the Sahel has been characterized by strong climatic variations and irregular rainfalls, which pose two of the biggest obstacles to food security and poverty reduction in the region, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
What are some characteristics of a Sahel?
The Sahel has a tropical, hot steppe climate (Köppen climate classification BSh). The climate is typically hot, sunny, dry and somewhat windy all year long.
What types of characteristics are in the Sahel desert?
The Sahel is characterized by constant, intense heat, with an unvarying temperature. The Sahel rarely experiences cold temperatures.
What is Sahara Desert physical characteristics?
Physical features of the Sahara Desert. Some geographical features of the Sahara are sand dunes, dry valleys, salt flats , and several mountain ranges , some of which are volcanic. The Sahara has a number of physical features, including ergs, regs, hamadas, and oases. Ergs cover 20% of the Sahara. They are sand dunes that stretch for hundreds of kilometers at heights of more than 300 meters.
What is the significance of Sahel?
Historically, the Sahel is important for having been the first area used for agriculture in Africa. In the 9th and 18th centuries, it was home to a number of Sahelian kingdoms. During the colonization of the continent, the region became an essential part of the slave trade, and the French took control of the region as part of the French West Africa .