Kalahari Desert Facts
Kalahari Desert Facts
Kalahari Desert Facts
On this page of Interesting Africa Facts we list facts about the Kalahari Desert
which is one of the many interesting Africa landforms. The Kalahari is not really
a desert it is a large semi-arid sandy savannah. Many parts of the Kalahari
receive significant rainfall (over 9.8 inches / 250 millimeters annually) and have
quite a bit of vegetation.
Kalahari Desert Facts - General
The Kalahari Desert came into existence approximately sixty million years
ago along with the formation of the African continent.
The desert covers approximately 350,000 square miles (900,000 square
kilometers) encompassing most of Botswana and parts of Namibia and
South Africa.
The desert gets its name from the Tswana word Kgala ("the great thirst"),
or Kgalagadi, Khalagari, or Kalagare, meaning "a waterless place".
The Kalahari Desert actually has huge areas that are good for grazing and
support more animals than are found in a true desert.
The Kalahari has several game reserves and other conservation areas. The
reserves include the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (The second largest
protected area in the world), Khutse Game Reserve, and the Kgalagadi
Transfrontier Park.
The Kalahari gets very hot; it can reach temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius
(104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the summer. In winter the desert has a dry,
cold climate where the temperature can reach 0 degrees Celsius (32
degrees Fahrenheit).
The Okavango River is the only permanent river that flows through the
desert. During the rainy season (October through April) temporary rivers
such as the Nata and several tributaries which flow into the Limpopo River
are formed.
Kalahari Desert Facts - People
Even though survival in the Kalahari Desert can be challenging there are
several tribes that make it their home. These tribes include the San (San
Bushmen), Kung, Khomani, Khios (Hottentots people), Nama (or
Namaqua) and Griqua people.
A small number of Europeans also live in the Kalahari.
The San Bushmen have lived in the Kalahari for approximately twenty
thousand years and are considered to be the oldest culture in the world. A
small group of these people still follow the traditional lifestyle as hunters-
gatherers, as their tribe has done for thousands of years.
The Kung (!Kung) people, like the San people, were traditionally hunters
and gatherers. To pronounce "Kung" correctly you must make a clicking
sound before the 'k' sound, this sound is usually expressed in writing with
an exclamation mark.
Kalahari Desert Facts - Animals
Survival in the Kalahari is difficult, animals need to be able to withstand
extreme climates (both hot and cold). Evolution has produced some
amazing animals native to this region who are well adapted for survival.
Here we list some facts about these animals.
One of the most common Kalahari animals is the Gemsbok/Oryx (Oryx
gazelle). This animal is well equipped for survival in the extremely rough
conditions of the desert.
Many of the world's most dangerous cats can be found in parts of the
Kalahari. These include lions, leopards, cheetahs, and caracals.
Another animal found in this region is the eland (Taurotragus Oryx). It is
the largest of all the African antelope. They can weigh up to 1985 pounds
(900 kg).
The desert is actually the home to some amphibious animals. These
include the bushveldt rain frog and the tremolo sand frog that live in the
southern Kalahari where there is a long rainy season.
Kalahari Desert Facts - Plants
Over four hundred species of plants have been identified in the Kalahari
Desert.
The Kalahari's sand is better than most deserts at retaining water, and
therefore allows for more plant life than most deserts.
The vegetation in the arid southern regions consist mostly of grasses
including Eragrostis (lovegrass), Aristida, and Stipagrostis, as well as
scattered trees and shrubs including Acacia, Colophospermum,
Commiphora, and Terminalia.
As you head north in the desert the arid lands give way to areas of greater
and more diverse plant life characterized by a denser population of Acacia
trees and shrub thickets. In the north east part of the Desert there are
actually woodlands.
Here are some facts about the Kalahari Desert.
The Kalahari Desert covers about 350,000 square miles in the southern part of Africa. It
includes some of South Africa, Namibia and most of Botswana.
The name Kalahari comes from a local word meaning waterless place. However, because
the sand retains water better than some other deserts, there is a variety of plant life.
The Kalahari is known as a semi-desert or savannah, as it receives some rainfall and is able
to support more plants and animals than a conventional dry desert.
In the 1965 film, Sands of the Kalahari a group of plane crash survivors try to survive in
the desert. The Kalahari also features in the movies The Gods Must be Crazy andThe Lion
King.
Some of the worlds largest diamond mines can be found in the Kalahari Desert. The vast
area is also a rich source of copper, nickel and coal and it is home to several large game
reserves.
During summer, temperatures can reach over 100 degrees, while winter temperatures can
reach freezing. Only one permanent river flows through the Kalahari, the Okavango.
The desert is home to many different species of birds, including the small weaver bird. The
weaver bird makes huge nests from twigs and grass on the top of poles and trees.
Several of the worlds most dangerous big cats can be found in the Kalahari desert,
including the cheetah, lion and leopard. The large antelope known as the Eland is also
found here and can weigh almost 2,000 pounds.
One of the worlds oldest cultures, the San Bushmen, have lived in the desert for over
20,000 years. The primitive tribes still live as they have for centuries.
Thousands of years ago, the Kalahari Desert supported more plants and animals than it does
today, and it had several very large lakes. As the lakes evaporated, they left large salt pans,
or craters, which can still be seen today.