Namib desert

in #history5 years ago (edited)

namib-desert world travel.jpg,
The Namib coastal desert is in Southern Africa.
The name Namib is of Nama origin and means "vast place".
The desert stretches for more than 2,000 kilometres along the Atlantic coasts of Angola, Namibia, and South Africa, extending southward from the Carumjamba River in Angola, through Namibia, to the Olifants River in Western Cape South Africa. The northernmost portion, which extends 450 kilometres from the Angola-Namibia border, is known as the Mocamedes Desert, while in southern portion that approaches the neighbouring Kalahari Desert.
The Namib desert gradually elevates from the Atlantic coast eastward.
The Namib has endured 50-80 million years of very arid and semi-arid weather conditions. It has the world's driest regions, with only South America's Atacama desert challenging for age and aridity.
The Namib consists of sand seas near the coast, and inland gravel plains and scattered mountain outcrops occur inland.
The sand dunes are of majestic proportions some are 300 metres high and 32 kilometres long. Along the coast, temperatures are stable between 9-20 C , while inland summer daytime temperatures can exceed 45 degrees C.
I have experienced a very hot summer in the Namib desert, and cannot say that it was enjoyable, it is a dry scorching heat, that leaves a person dehydrated.
But the nights can, in contrast, be freezing.
Heavy fogs that originate offshore from the collision of the cold Benguela Current and warm air from the Hadley Cell creates a fog belt, then envelopes parts of the desert. The coastal regions can experience more than 180 days of thick fog in a year. This is a major hazard for ships as the thousands of wrecks littering the Skeleton coast, but it is a source for moisture for the desert l
Fog Namib de.jpg

There are a few human settlements of the indigenous pastoral groups like the Ovahimba and Obatjimba Herero in the North, and the Topnaar Nama in the central regions.
Herero women.jpg
The unique colourful dresses of the Herero woman contrast sharply against the dunes of the desert.
Topnaar Nama festival.jpg,
The Topnaar Nama are an ethnic group of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. They speak the Nama language of the Kho-Kwadi language family. They are the largest group of Khoikhoi people left. Owing to the antiquity of the Namib desert it is home to more endemic species than any other desert in the world.
Near the ocean, you will find brown fur seals, and shorebirds, prey for Skeleton Coast's Lions.
![brown fur seals Godwana.jpg](
Here is a picture of a pride of Lions.
Desert Lions beautiful  now..jpg. Futher inland is the largest game Park in AFrica, the Namib-Naukluft National Park, with populations of African Bush Elephants, MountainZebras, and a variety of large mammals The outer parts ff the Namib is largely barren fo vegetation but lichens and succulents are found in coastal areas, and grasses shrubs and ephemeral plants live near the escarpment. Only a few trees can survive in the extreme climate.
Acacia tree in_.jpg
There is a variety of plants unique to the Namib...and they serve as food for human and animal inhabitants.
Various tours and hotel destinations can be arranged into the Namib Desert.

Desert Lodge Namib.jpg

The Namib is an important location for the mining of tungsten, salt and diamonds.
diamond-mine-skeleton-coast-namib-open-pit-mining-industry.jpg

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I have only been there once and I fell in love with Namibia. One of Africa's treasures for sure!

There is a saying in Namibia,
that once you have worn a pair of shoes away, your feet will always turn back to Namibia,
.

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