Algerian Desert


The Algerian Desert is located in north-central Africa and is part of the Sahara Desert. The desert occupies more than four-fifths of the Algerian territory. Its expansion starts from the Saharan Atlas as a stony desert, gradually changing into a sand dune desert inland. The mountain range Tassili n'Ajjer is located in the southeastern parts, and is a subject of great archaeological interest and was put up on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1982. The desert is known for extreme aridity and extreme heat, as daytime temperatures are commonly between 46 °C and 51 °C during the hottest period of the year in most of the desert. Cities and towns such as Ouargla, Touggourt, Beni Abbes, Adrar, and In Salah are among the hottest places on Earth during the height of summer. Annual average rainfall is well below 100 mm in the northernmost part but the center and the southern part receive much less than 50 mm and are therefore hyper-arid and among the driest places on Earth.