The Sahara has mesmerized outsiders for centuries. The world’s largest desert, its size defies imagination: 3.3 million square miles or around 25 percent of Africa. Its scorching heat and size still influence the cycle of drought and rainfall in sub-Saharan Africa. With one of the planet’s lowest population densities.
By some estimates, the Sahara in Africa is growing at a rate of 0.5 miles per month. The desert, already the largest in the world, could consume all of Northern Africa, altering the environment of a continent.