Sahara desert (ecoregion)
| Sahara desert | |
|---|---|
Sand dunes in Tadrart Acacus, a desert area in western Libya | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Palearctic |
| Biome | Deserts and xeric shrublands |
| Geography | |
| Area | 4,619,260 km2 (1,783,510 sq mi) |
| Country | |
| Rivers | Nile River; intermittent rivers and streams |
| Climate type | hot desert and hyper-arid |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable |
The Sahara desert, as defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), includes the hyper-arid center of the Sahara, between latitudes 18° N and 30° N. It is one of several desert and xeric shrubland ecoregions that cover the northern portion of the African continent.