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'{{short description|desert in south Africa}} {{distinguish|Namibia|Namibian (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox valley | name = your fucking mom nigga | other_name = | photo = Namib desert MODIS.jpg | photo_caption = An image of the Namib Desert by the [[MODIS]] instrument <!-- MAP --> | map = | map_image = LocationNamib.png | map_caption = Approximate boundaries of the Namib Desert <!-- Location --> | location = | country = Namibia | country1 = South Africa | country2 = Angola | region = | state = | | coordinates_ref = <!-- Statistics --> | elevation = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = | elevation_ref = | length = | length_mi = | length_km = 2000 | length_orientation = | length_note = | width = | width_mi = | width_km = 200 | width_orientation = | width_note = | area = | area_mi2 = | area_km2 = 81000 | depth = | depth_ft = | depth_m = | type = | age = | border = | topo = | traversed = | river = Swakop River | river1 = Kuiseb River | river2 = Cunene River | river3 = Orange River | river4 = [[Olifants River (Western Cape)|Olifants River]] | river5 = Tsauchab <!-- Below --> | footnotes = {{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site |child = yes |Official_name = Namib Sand Sea |ID = 1430 |Year = 2013 |Criteria = Natural: vii, viii, ix, x |Area = 3,077,700 ha |Buffer_zone = 899,500 ha }} }} The '''Namib''' is a [[coastal desert]] in [[southern Africa]]. The name ''Namib'' is of [[Khoekhoegowab]] origin and means "vast place". According to the broadest definition, the Namib stretches for more than {{convert|2000|km}} along the Atlantic coasts of [[Angola]], [[Namibia]], and [[South Africa]], extending southward from the Carunjamba River in Angola, through Namibia and to the [[Olifants River (Western Cape)|Olifants River]] in Western Cape, South Africa.<ref name="Goudie">{{cite book|author=Goudie, Andrew |authorlink=Andrew Goudie (geographer) |chapter=Chapter 17: Namib Sand Sea: Large Dunes in an Ancient Desert |editor1-first=Piotr |editor1-last=Migoń|editor-link=Piotr Migoń|title=Geomorphological Landscapes of the World |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-TI55urJYyEC&lpg=PR2&dq=Geomorphological%20Landscapes%20of%20the%20World&pg=PR2#v=onepage&q&f=false |year=2010 |publisher=Springer |location=New York, NY |pages=163–169 |isbn=978-90-481-3054-2}}</ref><ref name="Gates-Appiah">{{cite book |title=Encyclopedia of Africa |editor1-first=Henry Louis |editor1-last=Gates |editor1-link=Kwame Anthony Appiah |editor2-first=Kwame Anthony|editor2-last=Appiah |editor2-link=Kwame Anthony Appiah |year=2010 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-533770-9 |page=213 |volume=2 |url= |accessdate=}}</ref> The Namib's northernmost portion, which extends {{convert|450|km}} from the Angola-Namibia border, is known as [[Moçâmedes Desert]], while its southern portion approaches the neighboring [[Kalahari Desert]]. From the Atlantic coast eastward, the Namib gradually ascends in elevation, reaching up to {{convert|200|km}} inland to the foot of the [[Great Escarpment, Southern Africa|Great Escarpment]].<ref name="Goudie" /> Annual precipitation ranges from {{convert|2|mm}} in the most arid regions to {{convert|200|mm}} at the escarpment, making the Namib the only true desert in southern Africa.<ref name="Goudie" /><ref name="Gates-Appiah" /><ref name="Spriggs">{{cite web|url=http://worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/at1315 |title=Namib desert (AT1315) |author=Spriggs, Amy |date= |work=Wild World |publisher=World Wildlife Fund |accessdate=11 December 2011}}</ref> Having endured [[Desert climate|arid]] or [[Semi-arid climate|semi-arid]] conditions for roughly 55–80 million years, the Namib may be the oldest desert in the world<ref name="Goudie" /><ref name="Spriggs" /> and contains some of the world's driest regions, with only western South America's [[Atacama Desert#Aridity|Atacama Desert]] to challenge it for age and aridity benchmarks. The desert geology consists of [[sand sea]]s near the coast, while gravel plains and scattered mountain outcrops occur further inland. The sand dunes, some of which are {{convert|300|m}} high and span {{convert|32|km}} long, are the second largest in the world after the [[Badain Jaran Desert]] dunes in China.<ref name="Goudie" /> Temperatures along the coast are stable and generally range between {{convert|9|-|20|°C|°F}} annually, while temperatures further inland are variable—summer daytime temperatures can exceed {{convert|45|°C}} while nights can be freezing.<ref name="Nicholson2011" /> [[Fog]]s that originate offshore from the collision of the cold [[Benguela Current]] and warm air from the [[Hadley Cell]] create a fog belt that frequently envelops parts of the desert. Coastal regions can experience more than 180 days of thick fog a year.<ref name="Goudie" /><ref name="Spriggs" /> While this has proved a major hazard to ships—more than a thousand wrecks litter the [[Skeleton Coast]]—it is a vital source of moisture for desert life. The Namib is almost completely uninhabited by humans except for several small settlements and indigenous pastoral groups, including the [[Himba people|Ovahimba]] and [[Herero people|Obatjimba Herero]] in the north, and the [[Nama people|Topnaar Nama]] in the central region.<ref name="Gates-Appiah" /> Owing to its antiquity, the Namib may be home to more [[Endemism|endemic species]] than any other desert in the world.<ref name="Nicholson2011">{{cite book |title=Dryland Climatology |last=Nicholson |first=Sharon E. |year=2011 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=978-0-521-51649-5 |pages=385–388 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fqussIGJ0NcC&lpg=PA384&pg=PA388#v=onepage&q&f=false |accessdate=13 December 2011}}</ref> Most of the desert wildlife is [[arthropod]]s and other small animals that live on little water, although larger animals inhabit the northern regions. Near the coast, the cold ocean water is rich in fishery resources and supports populations of [[brown fur seal]]s and shorebirds, which serve as prey for the Skeleton Coast's [[lion]]s.<ref name="Nicholson2011" /> Further inland, the [[Namib-Naukluft National Park]], the largest game park in Africa, supports populations of [[African Bush Elephant]]s, [[Mountain Zebra]]s, and other large mammals. Although the outer Namib is largely barren of vegetation, [[lichen]]s and [[Succulent plant|succulents]] are found in coastal areas, while grasses, shrubs, and [[ephemeral plant]]s thrive near the [[escarpment]]. A few types of trees are also able to survive the extremely arid climate.<ref name="Nicholson2011" /> interesting facts about the namib desert, it only receives around 80mm of rainfall every year == History == {{Expand section|date=February 2019}} == Geography and geology == [[File:Namib desert and ocean.JPG|thumb|left|Namib desert and ocean]] [[File:Sossusvlei.jpg|thumb|left|[[Sossusvlei]], one of the Namib's major tourist attractions, is a [[salt pan (geology)|salt]] and [[Dry lake|clay pan]] surrounded by large dunes. The flats pictured here were caused by the [[Tsauchab]] stream after summer rains]] [[File:Mondlandschaft Namibia 01.JPG|thumb|left|An area known as the "Moon Landscape"]] [[File:Welwitschia mirabilis(1).jpg|thumb|left|The ''[[Welwitschia]]'' plant is considered a [[living fossil]], and is found only in the Namib Desert]] [[File:Namib desert 5.JPG|thumb|left|Yellow desert]] [[File:Oceanic fog sossusvlei4.jpg|thumb|right|Thick morning fog rolls in from the ocean, near [[Sossusvlei]]; moisture from the fog allows the native flora to survive the aridity]] [[File:Oryx Gazella Namib Desert.jpg|thumb|right|Gemsboks (''Oryx gazella'') are the biggest antelopes found in the Namib]] The Namib Desert is one of the 500 distinct [[Physical Geography|physiographic]] provinces of the South African [[Platform (geology)|Platform]] physiographic division. It occupies an area of around 80,950&nbsp;km²<ref>{{NatGeo ecoregion|id=at1315|name=Namib desert}}</ref> (31,200&nbsp;square miles), stretching from the [[Usiab River]] (north) to the town of [[Lüderitz]] (south) and from the [[Atlantic Ocean]] (west) to the Namib Escarpment (east). It is about {{convert|1,000|mi|km}} long from north to south and its east-west width varies from {{convert|30|to|100|mi|km|abbr=off}}. To the north, the desert leads into the [[Kaokoveld]]; the dividing line between these two regions is roughly at the [[latitude]] of the city of [[Walvis Bay]], and it consists in a narrow strip of land (about 50&nbsp;km wide) that is the driest place in Southern Africa. To the south, the Namib borders on the [[South Africa]]n [[Karoo]] semi-desert. Southern Namib (between Lüderitz and the [[Kuiseb]] River) comprises a vast dune sea with some of the tallest and most spectacular dunes of the world, ranging in color from pink to vivid orange. In the Sossusvlei area, several dunes exceed {{convert|300|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}} in height. The complexity and regularity of dune patterns in its [[dune sea]] have attracted the attention of [[geologist]]s for decades, but it remains poorly understood. Moving north from Sossusvlei, the sand gradually gives way to a rocky desert that extends all the way from Sossusvlei to the [[Swakop]] river. This area is traversed by the [[Tropic of Capricorn]] and is mostly flat, although some scenic canyons and elevations are found in some areas, for example in the Moon Valley system. While most of the soil is rocky, sand dunes are still occasionally found in this region; for example, sand dunes occupy much of the coastline between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. The Namib desert is an important location for the mining of [[tungsten]], [[salt]] and [[diamond]]s. Several rivers and streams run through the Namib, although all of the rivers south of the [[Cunene River]] and north of the [[Orange River]] are [[ephemeral]] and rarely or never reach the ocean.<ref name="Goudie" /> These rivers arise in the interior mountains of Namibia and flow after summer rain storms.<ref name="Goudie" /> == Climate == The Namib's aridity is caused by the descent of dry air of the [[Hadley Cell]], cooled by the cold [[Benguela current]] along the coast. It has less than {{convert|10|mm|in|abbr=on}} of rain annually and is almost completely barren. Besides rain being scarce, it is also hardly predictable. The western Namib gets less rain (5&nbsp;mm) than the eastern Namib (85&nbsp;mm). This is due to several factors. Winds coming from the Indian Ocean lose part of their humidity when passing the [[Drakensberg]] mountains, and are essentially dry when they reach the Namib Escarpment at the eastern end of the desert. Winds coming from the Atlantic Ocean, on the other hand, are pressed down by hot air from the east; their humidity thus forms clouds and fog. Morning fogs coming from the ocean and pushing inwards into the desert are a regular phenomenon along the coast, and much of the life cycle of animals and plants in the Namib relies on these fogs as the main source of water. The dry climate of the Namib reflects the almost complete lack of bodies of water on the surface. Most rivers flow underground and/or are dry for most of the year, and even when they are not, they usually drain into [[endorheic basin|endorheic]] basins, without reaching the sea. The Swakop and the [[Omaruru River|Omaruru]] are the only rivers that occasionally drain into the ocean. All along the coast, but mostly in the northernmost part of it, interaction between the water-laden air coming from the sea via southerly [[wind]]s, some of the strongest of any coastal desert, and the dry air of the desert causes immense [[fog]]s and strong currents. It causes sailors to lose their way; this is testified by the remnants of a number of [[shipwreck]]s that can be found along the [[Skeleton Coast]], in northern Namib. Some of these wrecked ships can be found as much as {{convert|50|m|yd|abbr=off}} inland, as the desert slowly moves westwards into the sea, reclaiming land over a period of many years. Benguela's El Niño (similar to the Pacific event in its environmental change in the seas) spreads from the Kunene estuary southward to, on occasion, south of Luderitz. Warm waters with depth and associated water flows from the northwest were first fully catalogued by Sea Fisheries researchers, Cape Town (L V Shannon ''et al.''). The research noted the positive effect of Benguela's El Niño on the rainfall of the interior. Rainfall records also show positive values variously across the Namib, Desert Research Station, Gobabeb for instance. This event recurs approximately mid-decade (1974, 1986, 1994, 1995 and 2006 are recent examples) == Animals and plants == A number of unusual [[species]] of [[plant]]s and [[animal]]s are found in this desert, many of which are [[endemism|endemic]] and highly adapted to the specific climate of the area. One of the most well-known endemic plants of the Namib is the bizarre ''[[Welwitschia]] mirabilis''; a shrub-like plant, it grows two long strap-shaped leaves continuously throughout its lifetime. These leaves may be several meters long, gnarled and twisted from the desert winds. The [[taproot]] of the plant develops into a flat, concave disc in age. ''Welwitschia'' is notable for its survival in the extremely arid conditions in the Namib, mostly deriving moisture from the coastal sea fogs. An area where ''Welwitschias'' are a common sight is found in the surroundings of the Moon Valley, including the eponymous Welwitschia Plains. The Namib fauna mostly comprises [[arthropod]]s and other small animals that can live on little water, but a few species of bigger animals are also found, including [[antelope]]s (such as [[oryx]]es and [[springbok]]s), [[ostrich]]es, and in some areas even [[desert elephant]]s. All these species have developed techniques to survive in the Namib environment. A number of endemic [[darkling beetle]]s [[species]] — such as the [[Namib Desert beetle]] — have bumpy [[elytron]]s with a pattern of hydrophilic bumps and hydrophobic troughs. These cause humidity from the morning fogs to condense into droplets, which roll down the beetle's back to its mouth; they are collectively known as "fog beetles". Another beetle, the ''Lepidochora discoidalis'', builds "water-capturing" webs. [[Black-backed jackal]]s lick humidity from stones. [[Gemsbok]]s (also known as Oryxes) can raise the temperature of their bodies to 40&nbsp;°C in the hottest hours of the day. The desert is also home to [[meerkats]] and several species of lizards. == Human activity == [[File:Sperrgebiet-001.jpg|thumb|A warning sign in the [[Sperrgebiet]] from the government of [[South West Africa]], picture taken in 1947]] Before the 20th century, some [[San people|San]] roamed the Namib, gathering edible plants on the shore, hunting in the interior, and drinking the juice of the [[Citrullus ecirrhosus|tsamma melon]] for water. Nowadays, some [[Herero people|Herero]] still herd their livestock in the [[Kaokoveld]] in the Namib and take them from waterhole to waterhole. A few [[Nama people|Nama]] [[Khoikhoi]] still graze their livestock on the banks of the [[Kuiseb River]] in the desert. Most of the native people have left, however, leaving the vast majority of the desert uninhabited.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Namib|title=Namib {{!}} desert, Africa|last=Logan|first=Richard F.|date=|work=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=2017-07-28|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|language=en}}</ref> The steppes in the southern half of the desert are mostly made up of ranches run by Europeans, who raise [[Karakul sheep]] with local help and send the wool of the lambs to Europe for use in fur coats. Most of the rest of the desert is set aside for conservation. A vast portion of the desert, called the [[Sperrgebiet]], was access-restricted due to the presence of diamonds, which are mined in the area at the mouth of the [[Orange River]]. Although the desert is largely unpopulated and inaccessible, there are year-round settlements at [[Sesriem]], close to the famous [[Sossusvlei]] area, and other small outposts in other locations. [[Moçâmedes]] in Angola, and [[Lüderitz]], [[Walvis Bay]] and [[Swakopmund]] in Namibia, bordering on the desert, are the main settlements in the area. In 2019 the Namibian-German artist [[Max Siedentopf]] created an installation in the Namib consisting of a ring of large white blocks atop of which sit six speakers attached to a solar-powered [[MP3 player]] configured to continuously play the 1981 song "[[Africa (Toto song)|Africa]]" by the American band [[Toto (band)|Toto]]. The exact location of the installation has not been disclosed.<ref name="BBC-20190114">{{cite news|work=BBC News|author=|date=14 January 2019|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-46861137|title=Africa by Toto to play on eternal loop 'down in Africa'}}</ref><ref name="Guardian-20190115">{{cite web |last1=Aratani |first1=Lauren |title=Toto forever: Africa to play 'for all eternity' in Namib desert |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/15/toto-africa-desert-installation-play-for-all-eternity |publisher=[[The Guardian]] |accessdate=16 January 2019 |date=15 January 2019}}</ref> == Namib-Naukluft National Park == {{Main|Namib-Naukluft National Park}} The Namib-Naukluft National Park, that extends over a large part of the Namib Desert, is the largest game reserve in [[Africa]] and one of the largest of the world. While most of the park is hardly accessible, several well-known [[visitor attraction]]s are found in the desert. The prominent attraction is the famous [[Sossusvlei]] area, where high orange sand dunes surround vivid white salt pans, creating a fascinating landscape. Access to the park is either by [[gravel road]]s or dust roads (except for 60&nbsp;km of [[asphalt concrete|concrete road]] from the [[Sesriem]] gate to Sossusvlei) or by light aircraft from [[Windhoek]] (the capital of Namibia, about {{convert|480|km|mi|abbr=on}} north-east of the centre of the desert), or [[Swakopmund]] and [[Walvis Bay]] at the north end of the desert. == Notable places == * [[Bogenfels]] * Moon Valley * [[Sesriem]] * [[Skeleton Coast]] * [[Solitaire, Namibia|Solitaire]] * [[Sossusvlei]] ** [[Dune 45]] ** [[Deadvlei]] ** Hiddenvlei * [[Spitzkoppe]] * Welwitschia Plains * [[Swakopmund]] == See also == * [[List of deserts by area]] * ''[[Animals are Beautiful People]]'', a nature documentary set in the Namib == References == {{reflist|30em}} * ''National Geographic'', January 1992, pp.&nbsp;54–85. * Mary Seely: ''The Namib: Natural History of an Ancient Desert'', 3rd ed., Windhoek: Desert Research Foundation of Namibia 2004, {{ISBN|99916-68-16-0}}. == Further reading == * {{cite book |last1=Tonchi |first1=Victor L. |author2=William A. Lindeke |author3=John J. Grotpeter |title=Historical Dictionary of Namibia |edition=2nd |date=2012 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-0-8108-7990-4}} *{{cite magazine|title=The Living Sands of the Namib|magazine=[[National Geographic (magazine)|National Geographic]]|first=William J.|last=Hamilton III|pp=364-376|volume=164|issue=3|date=September 1983|issn=0027-9358|oclc=643483454}} == External links == {{Commons|Namib Desert}} * {{cite web |url=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17050 |title=Dune Patterns, Namib Desert, Namibia |publisher=[[NASA Earth Observatory]] |accessdate=5 May 2006}} * [http://www.acrossthedivide.com/namib.htm Namib Naukluft Park photo gallery] * [http://www.colonialvoyage.com/africa/namibiaeng/namib/namib.html Namib Desert photo gallery] {{portalbar|Namibia}} {{Deserts}} {{coord|24|45|07|S|15|16|35|E|region:NA_type:landmark_scale:2500000|display=title}} [[Category:Deserts of Namibia]] [[Category:Deserts of South Africa]] [[Category:Afrotropic ecoregions]] [[Category:Ergs of Africa]] [[Category:Physiographic provinces]] [[Category:World Heritage Sites in Namibia]]'