Namib Desert

The Namib Desert covers a huge arid area along the coast of western Namibia. It is one of the world's driest places and consists of sand dunes near the coast and both gravel plains and scattered mountain outcrops further inland. Some of the sand dunes can reach hights of more than 300 m (1,000 ft). Temperatures along the coast vary between 9–20 °C (48–68 °F), while further inland they can exceed 45 °C (113 °F). At the same time, the nights can be very cold with temperatures dipping below freezing.

Collision of cold currents with warm air from the desert can cause fog belts that frequently envelops parts of the desert. Coastal fog proves a huge hazard to ships and as a result there are more than a thousand ship-wrecks litter the Skeleton Coast. On the other hand the fog is an essential source of moisture for desert life.

Most of the Namib Desert is uninhabited apart form some wildlife. The coastal waters teem with fish and fur seals.

The southern part of the desert is included in the Namib-Naukluft National Park and the ephemeral clay pan at Sossusvlei, where the dunes are among the highest in the world. The Namib Naukluft Park supports population of mountain zebras, as well as other large mammals. Further north, lions, elephants and rhinos can be seen.

The outer Namib is largely barren of vegetation, but lichens and succulents grow in coastal areas. Inland, not far from the escarpment grasses, shrubs and ephemeral plants can be found. Some trees also survive the extremely arid climate.