The Kalahari Desert

Africa · desert · wildlife · semi-arid

Massive Southern African desert. The Kalahari covers about 900,000 square kilometers across Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. That's roughly the size of Egypt.

Semi-arid savanna landscape. Unlike true deserts with almost no rain, the Kalahari gets some rainfall and supports grasses, shrubs, and scattered trees. This makes it a semi-desert or semi-arid savanna.

Home to amazing animals. Lions, leopards, zebras, giraffes, and meerkats roam the Kalahari. Many creatures are adapted to survive with very little water.

Golden sand and red soil. Much of the Kalahari is covered in reddish sand and dust, with parts having saltpans, which are flat areas of dried-up ancient lakes.

Ancient human homeland. The San people have lived in the Kalahari for thousands of years, hunting and gathering in ways perfectly suited to the harsh environment.