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Tuesday 18 March 2014


Namib Desert
Desert
Namib desert MODIS.jpg
An image of the Namib Desert by the MODIS satellite
CountriesNamibia, Angola
LandmarksNamib-Naukluft National Park,Naukluft Mountains,Skeleton Coast, Spitzkoppe,Sossusvlei, Deadvlei, Sperrgebiet
RiversSwakop River, Kuiseb River,Cunene River, Orange River,Olifants River, Tsauchab
Highest pointBrandberg Mountain 2,606 m (8,550 ft)
 - locationErongoNamibia
 - coordinates21°07′S 14°33′E
Lowest pointAtlantic Ocean 0 m (0 ft)
Length2,000 km (1,243 mi), N/S
Width200 km (124 mi), E/W
Area81,000 km2 (31,274 sq mi)
BiomeDesert
Approximate boundaries of the Namib Desert
The Namib is a coastal desert in southern Africa. The name Namib is of Nama origin and means "vast place". According to the broadest definition, the Namib stretches for more than 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) along the Atlantic coasts of AngolaNamibia, and South Africa, extending southward from the Carunjamba River in Angola, through Namibia and to the Olifants River in Western Cape, South Africa.[1][2]The Namib's northernmost portion, which extends 450 kilometres (280 mi) from the Angola-Namibia border, is known as Moçâmedes Desert, while its southern portion approaches the neighboring Kalahari Desert. From the Atlantic coast eastward, the Namib gradually ascends in elevation, reaching up to 200 kilometres (120 mi) inland to the foot of the Great Escarpment.[1] Annual precipitation ranges from 2 millimetres (0.079 in) in the most arid regions to 200 millimetres (7.9 in) at the escarpment, making the Namib the only true desert in southern Africa.[1][2][3] Having endured arid or semi-arid conditions for roughly 55–80 million years, the Namib may be the oldest desert in the world.[1][3]


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