Atlantic coastal desert
| Atlantic coastal desert | |
|---|---|
The desert in Dakhla, Western Sahara | |
Location of the Atlantic coastal desert (in purple) | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Palearctic |
| Biome | Deserts and xeric shrublands |
| Borders | |
| Geography | |
| Area | 39,137 km2 (15,111 sq mi) |
| Countries | |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | Relatively stable/intact |
| Protected | 6,872 km2 (18%) |
The Atlantic coastal desert is the westernmost ecoregion in the Sahara Desert of North Africa. It occupies a narrow strip along the Atlantic coast, where the more frequent fog and haze generated offshore by the cool Canary Current provides sufficient moisture to sustain a variety of lichens, succulents, and shrubs.