The Kalahari Desert is located in South Africa in the countries of Botswana, South Africa, Namibia. Due to its recent expansion, it has been capturing areas in Angola, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. The occupied area of the desert is about 600 thousand square kilometers. The temperature here is about 40 degrees, in winter it drops to zero.
The Kalahari is a savannah with desert steppes. It consists mainly of sand of limestone rocks. On the territory of the desert there are rich deposits of copper, diamonds and coal. The iron oxide in the sand gives the soil a reddish-brown hue. Soil fertility is very low. Once, due to the U-turn of the Okavango River, one of the largest lakes in Africa disappeared. The Makgadikgadi Peng lowland was formed, which led to increased evaporation of soils in the region.
The territory of the Kalahari is occupied by sand dunes - alabas with a color ranging from bright pink to brown. Among the sands there are wide lowlands (pens or vlei), which are collectors of water during heavy rains. They form temporary fast-drying lakes. Dry river beds are called omurambs. The reserves of water in the desert are very large, but their depth is over three hundred meters.
The flora and fauna of the Kalahari Desert
Vegetation is represented by ochna, burkea, giraffe acacia, terminalia, grevia, arrested, wild tsamma watermelons, shepherd's tree, ziziphus, crotalia, antelope cucumbers and others.
The fauna of the Kalahari is diverse. The desert is inhabited by an elephant, lion, hippo, wildebeest, zebra, jumper antelope, camo, baboon, hyena, gerbil, marsupial rat, strider, flying dog and others. Birds - shoemaker, barn owl, bare-footed gray owls, noisy eagle, flamingos, Egyptian goose, Jacans, kingfisher, green dove, crowned crane. ostrich and others.
Reptiles and reptiles include a crocodile, frogs, lizards, python, dwarf viper, African egg snake. Insects - ants, ground beetles, scorpions, termites.
Kalahari rivers
One of the largest salt lakes in the world, Makgadikgadi, and two smaller bodies of water, Soa and Ntvetwe, are located in the Makgadikgadi Pen depression. The Okavango River Delta is located in the depression.
Okavango River - flows through several countries, does not flow anywhere. Winding along numerous channels, it dissolves in the swamps in the northwest of the Kalahari. During rainy periods, the river fills Lake Ngami.
Molopo, Noosob and Avob are dry rivers that fill with water during the rainy season.
Sights of the Kalahari Desert
- Ghanzi is a city located in the western part of Botswana and is considered the capital of the Kalahari. The population is just over twelve thousand people. The city has hotels, sports and entertainment centers, campgrounds. Ghanzi is a city of Bushmen, in shops you can buy traditional household items as souvenirs.
- Namib-Naukluft National Park - The Cheetah Conservation Center and Crocodile Farm are located in the town of Ochivarongo.
- Dead Valley is a famous clay pit with bizarre withered trees flanked by the tallest dunes in the world. The valley is located on the clay plateau of Sossusflei.
- Sesriem Canyon appeared thanks to the small river Tsauchab, you can go down into the canyon along a gentle entrance. There are many rounded niches in the walls. The Bushmen used them to shelter from the weather.
- Central Kalahari is a national hunting reserve, the second largest in the world, created with the aim of preserving the unique flora and fauna of the area. Bushmen use arrows treated with paralytic poison for hunting.
