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Which Desert Is the Oldest?

GeographyEcology

Quick Answer

The Namib Desert in southwestern Africa is considered the world oldest desert, having been arid or semi-arid for at least 55-80 million years — since the Late Cretaceous period.

The Full Story

The Namib Desert stretches about 2,000 km along the Atlantic coast of Namibia and Angola, averaging only 100-200 km wide but ancient beyond compare. Its extreme aridity has been maintained for at least 55 million years (some evidence suggests 80 million years) by the cold Benguela Current, which cools the coastal air, suppresses rainfall, and creates dense fog banks that roll inland. This fog is the primary water source for many Namib organisms. The desert has produced remarkable evolutionary adaptations: the Namib darkling beetle (Onymacris unguicularis) collects fog water on its textured wing covers; Welwitschia mirabilis, a plant with only two leaves, can live for over 1,000 years; and the "fairy circles" — mysterious bare patches in the grass — remain scientifically debated. The Namib Sand Sea, with dunes up to 325 metres high (among the tallest on Earth), was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013.

Key Facts

1.The Namib Desert has been arid for at least 55 million years, making it the world oldest desert — the Sahara, by contrast, became a desert only about 7 million years ago.
2.Some Namib sand dunes reach 325 metres tall — among the highest in the world — and the oldest dune fields date back about 5 million years.
3.Welwitschia mirabilis, found only in the Namib, is a "living fossil" plant that grows just two leaves for its entire life (which can exceed 1,000 years), splitting and fraying over centuries.

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"The Namib — The World Oldest Desert and Its Incredible Survivors"