10 facts about the namib desert

Professor of Geography, University of California, Los Angeles. The NamibRand Dark Sky Reserve offers a rare chance to experience one of natures most spectacular displays. Dune 7: Dune 7 is believed to be the tallest sand dune in the world, with an estimated height of 383 meters (1,256 feet). The Namib Desert, stretching over 2,000 kilometers along the Atlantic coasts of Angola, Namibia, and South Africa, is often cited as the oldest desert in the world. More About Us. Accurate figures are difficult to come by but as many as 600, and as few as 100, are thought to remain. The deserts of Namibia hold a reputation for being the oldest landscapes in the world. Through eco-tourism, visitors to the Namib Desert can have a memorable and rewarding travel experience while also contributing to the conservation of this unique and fragile environment. Soils that do occur are often highly saline, impregnated with gypsum, or cemented firmly by calcium carbonate, the latter forming a calcrete layer just below the surface. The Namib Desert offers numerous opportunities for nature and wildlife viewing. Nara Melon (Acanthosicyos horridus): The Nara melon is a leafless, spiny fruit plant endemic to the Namib Desert. The weathering process finds deserts when the temperature varies between day and night. The sand dunes of the Namib, in their stunning beauty and extreme conditions, underscore the deserts reputation as a place of stark contrasts and surprising adaptability. Copyright 2023 SafariBookings. The desert basically consists of a relatively smooth platform of truncated bedrock of various types and ages. Water from the interior plateau flows through or into the desert. The key principle behind eco-tourism is to promote sustainable travel that benefits local communities, conserves the environment, and educates visitors about the local ecosystem and culture. It is 80,000km2/30,888mi2, stretching over 2,000km/1,242mi from top (Angola) to bottom (South Africa). About the faunas, primarily small animals, including the arthropods, beetles, spiders, toads, geckos, lizards, which can survive on little water, are commonly found. October 28, 2017 0 15702 Along the southwest coast of Africa, you'll find the expansive desert known as the Namib. 10 Facts About the Namib Sand Dunes - On The Go Tours Blog A: The Namib desert has very little water, developed by fog. Self-driveLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp, You Visit: Windhoek (Start), Okonjima NR, Eastern Etosha, Etosha NP, Damaraland, Erongo Mountains (Mountain Range), N/a'an ku s (Wildlife Sanctuary), Windhoek Airport (End). It was inhabited by the kinds of charismatic African mega-fauna that makes us all want to go on safari. The moisture content changes between night and day are minimal near the coast. Top 10 Interesting Facts About Namibia Sand dunes of the Namib Desert along the Atlantic Ocean. To the south, the Namib borders the South African Karoo semi-desert. It is thought that an arid climate began to dominate in the region approximately 55 million years old, before changing to a semi-arid climate 14-18 million years ago. [9] For this reason, the Namib Sand Sea has been referred to as the "wind displaced delta of the Orange River."[9]. It stretches more than 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers) between the city of Namibe in Angola and the Olifants River in South Africa. Safaris, Uganda This unique climate has led to the evolution of several unique plant and animal species that have adapted to rely on the fog as a primary water source. Tour operator has an office in Namibia, 2.723 Facts on African Deserts | USA Today The Skeleton Coast is a desolate and often foggy stretch of the Atlantic coast of northern Namibia and southern Angola. The Namib desert is a larger expanse of gravel plains with no moisture. The Namib-Karoo-Kaokoveld desert region covers an area of 806,000km 2 (or 311,00 square miles). The welwitschia can live longer than a thousand years. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Namib desert shares its boundaries with the following countries. NamibRands location in a remote part of southwestern Namibia, far from cities and towns, means that it has some of the darkest skies measured on Earth. 15 Amazing Facts About The Namib Desert | Ultimate List Tours, Namibia The dunes of the Outer Namib provide habitats for various types of insects and reptiles, especially beetles, geckos, and snakes, but virtually no mammals. The only longer sand dunes recorded on earth are in Chinas Badain Jaran Desert But these are mere grains of sand when compared to the overall size of the Namib. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Today, some Herero still herd their livestock in the Kaokoveld in the Namib and take them from waterhole to waterhole. The Orange River cuts through the southern Namib as it flows to the Atlantic. October 10, 2022 (0) Due to its small, webbed feet, the Namib Sand Gecko is also known as the web-footed Gecko. A few days each year, usually in fall or spring, berg (mountain) winds blowing from the east bring high temperatures (above 100 F), together with dry air and clouds of dust, across the desert to the coast itself. They move around to find water and pasture for their herds of goats and cattle. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong. Its an excellent way to explore one of the worlds most stunning landscapes while ensuring that it is preserved for future generations. Safaris, Tanzania Welwitschia Mirabilis: Perhaps the most famous plant species in the Namib Desert is the Welwitschia mirabilis. When you buy through the links on our site we may earn a commission. There's a lot of space The name 'Namib' translates as "vast place", which is apt given that Namibia is one of the least crowded destinations on the planet. They get moisture from the fog. The climate, black rhinos, coast, rugged mountains, land, elephants, lions, and plant kingdom make the safari trip memorable. Animals dont have it all their own way when it comes to unusual ways of thriving. Interesting Facts for Kids 10:- Namib Desert Elephants Facts Even though they can be found in the Damaraland region, these 'desert elephants' travel a lot. And appearances can be deceptive. Interesting Facts About the Namib Desert The word 'Namib' is of Nama origin, and means 'open space'. The Orange River carries diamonds with it on its way to the sea. Several small mammals have evolved to be nocturnal to escape the daytime heat. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Over thousands of years, these sand particles, shaped and shifted by the wind, have formed the Namibs vast dune fields. The Namib desert is an important location for the mining of tungsten, salt, and diamonds. Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. This introduction would offer a brief description of the Namib Deserts location, size, and key features, highlighting its global ecological and cultural significance. While its difficult to determine the exact age of a desert, the Namib is believed to have endured arid or semi-arid conditions for at least 55 to 80 million years, and possibly much longer. Western Namib gets less rain (5mm) than eastern Namib (85mm). One example is the Namib desert. The Swakop and the Omaruru are the only rivers that occasionally drain into the ocean. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Nara Plant (Acanthosicyos horridus): This plant is a melon that has perfectly adapted to the desert conditions by not developing leaves, which could lose water. The Himba people have a deep spiritual connection to their ancestors, whom they believe guide and protect them. And setbacks still occur. The sand dunes, some of which are 300 metres (980ft) high and span 32 kilometres (20mi) long, are the second-largest in the world after the Badain Jaran Desert dunes in China. The most famous and abundant are the star dunes, which are pyramid-shaped and have several arms extending from a central point. The cold Benguela Current in the Atlantic Ocean cools the air above it, and when this cool air collides with the warm desert air, it forms a dense fog. Sand consumes shipwreck skeletons more than a kilometre from the ocean. The largest lake in Namibia is the Guinas, and the river is 'Fish.'. The taproot of the plant develops into a flat, concave disc in age. Anthony is a photographer and writer for travel magazines and Lonely Planet, including the guides to Kenya and Botswana & Namibia. What Is the Temperature Range in the Kalahari Desert? [2][10] These rivers arise in the interior mountains of Namibia and flow after summer rain storms.[2]. The Namib Desert is one of the 500 distinct physiographic provinces of the South African Platform physiographic division. There are trees along the larger streams and more succulents in the south. [2] Annual precipitation ranges from 2 millimetres (0.079in) in the aridest regions to 200 millimetres (7.9in) at the escarpment, making the Namib the only true desert in southern Africa. The superior southwest winds then rearrange the sand dust in the configuration of sand dunes in the global sand sea. The 2015 film Mad Max: Fury Road was filmed here. creative tips and more. [17], Access to the park is either by gravel roads or dust roads (except for 60km of concrete road from the Sesriem gate to Sossusvlei) or by light aircraft from Windhoek (the capital of Namibia, about 480km or 300mi northeast of the centre of the desert), or Swakopmund and Walvis Bay at the north end of the desert. The Namib, which believed to be the world's oldest desert, stretches from the Orange River in the south to the Angolan border in the north stretches for 2,080km (1,300mi) It is never more than 160km (100mi) wide. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Similarly, there are desert-adapted lions and black rhinos in the Namib, both of which have learned to survive in the arid environment by ranging widely in search of food and water. We hope you and your family enjoy the NEW Britannica Kids. 10 Amazing Facts About Namibia | Safari Drive The underflow of the Kuiseb River has been tapped 25 miles (40 km) inland to provide water supplies for the towns of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. Welwitschia is a monotypic genus (that is, a genus that contains a single recognised species) of gymnosperm, the sole described species being the distinctive Welwitschia mirabilis, endemic to the Namib desert within Namibia and Angola. The landscape of the Namib Desert features gravel plains, shifting sand dunes, and scattered mountains. 1) The Namib desert, is 80 million years old (it is the worlds oldest desert) Namib appropriately means "the land of open spaces". Temperatures there are usually between 50 and 60 F (10 and 16 C). Some plants in the Namib, like the endemic Welwitschia mirabilis, have evolved to capture and condense fog into a liquid that can be absorbed. Eco-tourism in the Namib Desert has grown significantly in recent years, driven by the regions stunning natural beauty, unique biodiversity, and cultural heritage. Eco-lodges in the reserve offer astronomy programs, and some even have their own observatories. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. The desert exists along the coasts of Angola, Namibia, and South Africa and covers over 1,200 miles of the African landscape. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Sossusvlei, in the southern part of the Namib Desert, is a salt and clay 'pan' surrounded by sand dunes. The region also boasts some of the world's most magnificent desert scenery. Despite the harsh conditions, people have lived in this region for thousands of years, adapting to its unique challenges and developing rich cultures that reflect their close relationship with the environment. [4] Owing to its antiquity, the Namib may be home to more endemic species than any other desert in the world. Namibia - Wikipedia The prominent attraction is the Sossusvlei area, where high orange sand dunes surround vivid white salt pans, creating a fascinating landscape. The Namib is a desert in southwestern Africa, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The Namib Desert is one of the driest places on Earth, with some areas receiving less than 10 mm of rainfall annually. Namib Desert Home to some truly bizarre forms of life, much of the 80 - 250km-wide and 2000km in long coastal Namib Desert. The Namib Desert is also characterized by its consistent wind patterns. As one of the worlds premier destinations for stargazing, it provides a powerful reminder of our place in the universe and the importance of preserving natural darkness. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Warm waters with depth and associated water flow from the northwest were first fully catalogued by Sea Fisheries researchers, in Cape Town (L V Shannon et al.). Damaraland is a place in South Africa where rhino trekking is possible. In South Africa, the Namib desert covers an area of about 39536861 acres (160,000 km2), and the length of the desert is 52,49,344 ft (1600 km). The clarity of the sky also allows for excellent viewing of meteor showers, planets, and other astronomical events. The ocean and constantly moving sand dunes have conspired to make many of them disappear. It covers a vast area along the Atlantic Ocean The Namib Desert is located in the southwestern part of Africa and runs for over 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles)along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, which makes it a true coastal desert. Q: Is Namib the coldest desert in Africa? One of the most well-known endemic plants of the Namib is the bizarre Welwitschia mirabilis; a shrub-like plant, it grows two long strap-shaped leaves continuously throughout its lifetime. It stretches some 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) along the Atlantic coasts of Angola, Namibia, and South Africa. Introduction The Namib is a desert on the west coast of southern Africa. 10 Interesting Namib Desert Facts By Anthony Ham Anthony is a photographer and writer for travel magazines and Lonely Planet, including the guides to Kenya and Botswana & Namibia. Poaching remains a concern, but for now the population survives. This event recurs approximately mid-decade (recent examples are 1974, 1986, 1994, 1995, and 2006). Safaris. Take the NamibianGerman artist Max Siedentopf who, in 2019, installed an art installation in a secret Namib location. Save the Rhino Trust claims that Damaraland is home to Africas largest population of free-ranging black rhino. The lodges in the reserve offer special programs for stargazing, including overnight experiences. Large quantities of guano are scraped annually from the rocks of several offshore islands. In 2012, it achieved another distinction: it was designated a Gold Tier Dark Sky Reserve by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). 2. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. As waters set their loads into the Atlantic Ocean, onshore currents deposit them along the shore. By joining Kidadl you agree to Kidadls Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receiving marketing communications from Kidadl. Any information you provide to us via this website may be placed by us on servers located in countries outside the EU if you do not agree to such placement, do not provide the information. Tours, Ethiopia All Rights Reserved. That word for the country was chosen by Mburumba Kerina, who originally proposed the name the "Republic of Namib". The Namib is a desert on the west coast of southern Africa. The Namib fauna mostly comprises arthropods and other small animals that can live on little water, but a few species of bigger animals are also found, including antelopes (such as gemsboks and springboks), ostriches, and in some areas even desert elephants. Well send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out. Its seeds provide food for various animals. The role of fog as a vital water source for desert life, and the adaptations of various species to capture this moisture, would be the focus of this section. The dunes of the western Namib are home to many types of insects and reptiles, especially beetles, geckos, and snakes. Another plant, the dollar bush, has succulent leaves that can store water from the fog. They hydrate only from the moisture contained in the vegetation that they consume. See eerie pictures inside a Namibian ghost town - National Geographic This cool air moves inland as a southwest sea breeze, creating a temperature inversion about 1,000 feet (300 metres) thick, with fog below and hot, dry air above. Climbing to the top of Dune 7 is a popular challenge for visitors to the Namib Desert.
Are There Bad Seats For Michael Jackson One, Articles OTHER