The Kalahari Desert is located in southern Africa. It covers most of Botswana and extends into Namibia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa and is about 347,400 square miles in size.Relative to other deserts, the Kalahari receives more rainfall than many deserts and the northern region can be considered a dry savanna (tropical or subtropical grassland with scattered trees and drought-resistant undergrowth) rather than a desert (Africa: an Encyclopedia for Students).
The Kalahari was designated a desert because of the lack of surface water. The annual rainfall ranges from seven inches in the south to 23 inches in the north. Only in the southern Kalahari is the terrain arid although most of the Kalahari is covered by a fine sandy soil. There are sand dunes in the southwestern region ranging in size from 20 feet high to 200 feet high. In the areas of higher rainfall there is good grazing although the land is very susceptible to erosion. Temperatures range from 8 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter to 117 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer.
The southwest Kalahari is home to several species of antelope. In the northern Kalahari where rainfall/water is more plentiful, animals are also more plentiful. Here can be found elephants, zebras, giraffes, antelope, lions, and cheetahs, as well as other animals.
The Kalahari Desert was once called the "Thirstland" by pioneers who attempted to cross it in the late 1800s because of the lack of surface water. The Trans-Kalahari Highway, the first paved road crossing the desert, was completed in 1998.
In 2002, the Botswana government forced the Bushmen out of the Kalahari and into resettlement areas. Ostensibly it was done to "improve" the life of the Bushmen natives; however, many feel that the government's ulterior motive was to free the land for diamond mining. In 2006, the Botswana High Court ruled that the 2002 eviction was illegal. The Bushmen now have the opportunity to return and resume their traditional lifestyle in the Kalahari Desert.
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