The Sahel region of central Africa is arguably one of the most impoverished and environmentally damaged geographic regions on Earth.
The Sahel region of central Africa is arguably one of the most impoverished and environmentally damaged geographic regions on Earth. Aptly named Sahel, after the Arabic word for ‘border’ or ‘margin’, it comprises of the 300km wide mass of arid land south of the Sahara Desert and north of the tropical southern zones. (Gritzner 3) It intersects many of the major nations of central Africa including, but not limited to, Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, and Chad. Spanning from the Atlantic, east to the Indian Ocean, the steppe-like Sahel supports sparse vegetation and infrequent wildlife in comparison to the lush low land rain forests of the south. The chief hydrographic feature is the lengthy Niger River, which cuts through Niger and Mali. The smaller Podor River also follows the northern border of Senegal emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. Since the Sahel is enclosed by desert and rainforest on either side, a dry steppe-plateau region results to the north, with grasslands and meager savanna in the south. The land is generally dehydrated, dusty, and flat.
The climate of the Sahel is barely inviting. The weather patterns of the region are highly irregular and show signs of drastic change over the past centuries. Two major air masses dictate climate control. A dry air mass known as the “Continental tropical mass” blows over the steppe and northern savannah throughout the 8-month dry season from October to May. It is followed by a lightly rainy season concentrated in the southern regions that lasts through September. This is called the “Maritime tropical mass”. (Gritzner 8) Between these two alterations, a zone known as the “Intertropical Front” circles between the Gulf of Guinea in January towards the 25 degree parallel north in August. (Raynaut 12) Throughout the winter months a great wind called the “Harmattan” blows from the north, darkening the skies of western Africa with the heavy gray dusts of the Sahara. Temperatures generally range between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius but can reach 40 degrees and above in the early summer of March and April. The dry heat and low humidity is a large deterrent on local attempts at agriculture. The only sources of water are the windy Niger River, the narrow coasts of the east and west, and the extremely limited rainfall. To make matters worse, the average annual rainfall of the region has declined by almost half since the beginning of the 20th century; falling from 409.6 mm per year in 1901 to 262.9 mm per year in 1985. (Raynaut 15) Since it is a buffer zone, the Sudan is in constant change between the surrounding environments. It is almost like the ribbon in the center of a tug-of-war rope. At times the Sahara will creep southward bringing an onslaught of desert-like conditions and temperatures. Other years the lush forests of the south will send the rainy belt north brining much needed precipitation. (Renner 584) This irregularity as well as decreasing overall rainfall resulted in an infamous drought starting in the late 60s and extending through the late 80s, which resulted in well over 100,000 lives lost through famine. (Newman ii) Scientists have also recently discovered climatic trends have altered from warm to cool every 50,000 - 60,000 years in African history. (Gritzner 6) Currently in the later Holocene era, it is expected to reverse to cool again in another 30,000 years bringing another drastic change in permanent climate.
