Geography 101, in its fourth season, takes listeners on a journey into the heart of the Sahara Desert.

The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world, spanning 3.6 million square miles. It stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the east. North to south, it extends from the Mediterranean to the Sahel region of Africa. Within its borders are mountains, plains, oases, and dunes taller than skyscrapers. The Sahara is a world of extremes.

While the Sahara is famous for sand dunes, only about 25 percent of it is covered by sand. Much of it is made up of gravel plains, rocky plateaus, and mountains. Some of its dunes, like those in Algeria, can rise more than 500 feet high. Other areas are barren rock formations shaped by centuries of wind erosion. The desert is a patchwork of landscapes.

The Sahara’s mountain ranges include the Ahaggar Mountains in Algeria and the Tibesti Mountains in Chad. These ranges rise dramatically from the desert floor. They are home to some of the highest peaks in the Sahara, including Mount Emi Koussi at over 11,000 feet. Volcanic in origin, these ranges add rugged beauty to the desert. They remind us that the Sahara is geologically alive.

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