The Nubian Desert is one of the regions of the Sahara African Desert. It occupies its eastern part and is located between the Nile River and the Etbai mountain range. In the northern part is replaced by another region of the Sahara - the Arabian desert. In Arabic, the desert is called Nuba. Its area is more than a million square kilometers, or rather, 1,240,000 km². How is the Nubian desert located on the political map of the world? Sudan and Egypt divided its territory into two unequal parts. Sudan got most of the territory, and Egypt, respectively, a smaller one.
What is called a desert?
Deserts are called natural areas in which it is constantly or most of the time hot and arid. The annual rainfall in these zones does not exceed 250 mm. Moreover, the rate of moisture evaporation exceeds this indicator by almost 20 times. In most deserts, flat landscapes prevail. The plant world of these zones is sparse, and the fauna is somewhat specific.
UNESCO and FAO classify almost 23% of the world's land as typical deserts. The Sahara, of which the Nubian desert is a part, is considered the largest desert. Arctic deserts are considered separately by these organizations.
Landforming
Most of the world's deserts are formed on geological platforms. These are the oldest land areas. In Africa, they are located at an altitude of 1 thousand m. The Nubian Desert, which is described in this article, resembles huge steps, the level of which decreases from 1 thousand m to 350 m. Mostly deserts are surrounded or bordering the mountains. It can be young mountain systems, as in Asia and South America, or old and destroyed massifs. The Nubian desert is adjacent to the tbay ridge, which belongs to the old mountains. Island mountains are found in the western sector of the desert, whose height is about 1240 m. The eastern sector of the Nubian desert is characterized by the outcrop of ancient rocks of the Nubian-Arabian shield. In this part, you can find Nubian sandstones, which in other places are covered with sand.
Throughout the plateau pass dry riverbeds. They are called wadi. Each channel lies in a wide valley and randomly divides the plateau into segments. As already mentioned, this desert is characterized by a height difference, and the average height here is about 500 m. The highest point of the Nubian desert is at the level of 2259 m. This is Mount Oda.
Vegetable world
In the harsh conditions of the Nubian desert, it is very difficult for plants to survive. This explains the sparseness of the vegetation cover. Xerophytic cereals managed to survive here, which over the centuries have adapted to the dry desert climate and can withstand drought and heat. Also here comes across acacia, undemanding species of tamarisk in the form of small trees or shrubs. Occasionally, other spiny bushes and shrubs are found.
In the central part of the Nubian desert, vegetation is especially scarce. Even nomads are not at risk to come here, because unpretentious camels cannot find any food.
Animal world
In an area with negligible rainfall and high temperatures, a large number of animals cannot be expected. There are several species of reptiles, mainly poisonous snakes, desert monitor lizards, lizards, including skink species, and geckos.
Larger species of wildlife are concentrated along the Nile. In these places you can find crocodiles, ibises, jackals, hyenas.
Climate
Can you imagine how hot the Nubian desert is? The climate here is tropical. It is very dry because there is too little rainfall. Most often during the year their amount does not exceed 25 mm, but sometimes there are completely dry years in which precipitation does not occur at all.
In the summer, daytime temperatures can reach 53 ° C. In winter, the temperature is lower, the average for January is about 15 ° C.
Historical excursion
After all, no one expects a large local population in a place like the Nubian Desert? History is trying to prove that this was not always the case. Here, in the desert, archaeologists continually come across evidence of the achievements of the civilization of the "black pharaohs". So called the rulers who led Egypt for almost a century.
Initially, the Egyptians simply traded with the Nubians, but they did not want to give the gold to a weak neighbor, and the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose captured Nubia. To control the main directions of the occupied territories, the Napatu fortress was founded, which in the 9th century BC. e. local rulers declared an independent kingdom. At the beginning of Vlll in BC e. The Napa kingdom, taking advantage of the temporary weakness of a neighbor, captured Egypt. By the time of the reign of the Nubians and refers to the concept of "black pharaohs." Portraits of the Taharka dynasty are still preserved, although Egypt is trying to erase the memory of this time.
After a century of reign, Pharaoh Psamethih II managed to take the throne and take revenge on the Nubians, destroying Napata. The capital of the Nubian kingdom was moved to Meroe.
For the curious
The Nubian desert, although sparsely populated, has its own attractions. So, for example, Ramses 3 built two temples here. Thus, he wanted to exalt himself and his wife. Ramses 3 placed twenty-meter statues of the gods with his face on the facade.
Many people know that in Egypt the cat is sacred. But not everyone knows that she came to this country from the Nubian desert. It was here that the Nubian wild cat lived, which became the ancestor of modern pets.
In 1834, Sudan allowed excavations on its territory to an Italian archaeologist, who began to study the pyramid of Queen Amanishaketo. However, these excavations did not pursue scientific goals. The Italian smashed the tomb, trying to find gold. Giuseppe Ferlini took all his finds back to his homeland and sold out.