What is the Kalahari Desert?
Q: What is the Kalahari Desert?
A: The Kalahari Desert is a large sandy area that covers much of Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa.
Q: Does the Kalahari Desert have excellent grazing lands?
A: Yes, the Kalahari Desert has huge tracts of excellent grazing lands after good rains.
Q: Is the Kalahari Desert a true desert?
A: Most of the Kalahari Desert is not a true desert, but it has small amounts of rainfall and a very high summer temperature.
Q: How much rainfall does the driest area of the Kalahari Desert receive per year?
A: The driest areas usually receive 110–200 millimetres (4.3–7.9 inches) of rain per year.
Q: What is the surrounding area of the Kalahari Basin?
A: The surrounding Kalahari Basin covers over 2.5 million km² extending farther into Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa, and encroaching into parts of Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Q: Is there a permanent river in the Kalahari Desert?
A: Yes, the Okavango River is the only permanent river, and it flows into a delta in the northwest, forming marshes that are rich in wildlife.
Q: What are the ancient dry riverbeds in the Kalahari Desert called and what is their purpose?
A: The ancient dry riverbeds are called omuramba, and they traverse the central northern reaches of the Kalahari. They provide standing pools of water during the rainy season and were previously havens for wild animals such as elephant and predators such as lion and cheetah. However, they are now mostly grazing spots, though leopard or cheetah can still be found.
