Name

The name "Sahara" is mentioned from the 1st century AD. e. It comes from the word arab. صحراء (ṣaḥrā'), which in translation means "desert", and its plural ṣaḥārā.

According to other sources, from the ancient Arab sahra - "red-brown".

The names of some areas of the Sahara, such as Tanezruft (south-west of Algeria) or Tenere (the center of the Niger), are often of Berber origin.

Despite the fact that the territory of the Sahara is comparable to the US territory, the population density (including the Nile Valley) is estimated at only 0.4 people per km² (2.5 million people in all).

Huge spaces are not inhabited, scattered settlements are formed only by reliable sources of water and islands of vegetation capable of feeding cattle.