Essay Archive - The Namib Desert
The Namib Desert
The Namib Desert is a parched and rippled desert, an endless expanse.
It stretches along the wouthwest coast of Africa from Angola in the north,
through Namibia, into South Africa. The name Namib means “emptiness.” About
1,700 km (1,060 mi long and 100 km (60 mi) wide, the desert is bordered on the
west by the Atlantic Ocean. The Namib has an approximate area of 170,000 sq km
(65,640 sq mi). It rises from sea level 914 m (3,000 ft). Temperatures average
16 deg C (60 deg F). Sands, varying from yellow to red in color, form dunes
reaching 240 m (8....
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