Updates? The annual rainfall averages 48 inches (1020 centimeters) in the north but is slightly higher in the south. The word 'Sahel' comes from the Arabic word sil which means coast or shore. It is home to some of our earliest hominid ancestors who lived in the area . They grow to between 8.2 and 13 feet (2.5 and 4 meters) tall at the shoulder and weigh 5,000 to 14,000 lbs. [20] Niger reported on 14 July that diarrhoea, starvation, gastroenteritis, malnutrition and respiratory diseases had sickened or killed many children. Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. The Sahel has a high to very high sunshine duration year-round, between 2,400 hours (about 55% of the daylight hours) and 3,600 hours (more than 80% of the daylight hours). Well send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. (2,268 to 6,350 kilograms . The French territories were decolonized in 1960. During the hottest period, the average high temperatures are generally between 36 and 42C (97 and 108F) (and even more in the hottest regions), often for more than three months, while the average low temperatures are around 25 to 31C (77 to 88F). The conflict is already affecting Mauritania and Chad and risks spilling overinto coastal countries, such as Benin, Cte dIvoire, Ghana and Togo. [11][12] However, such use is unattested in Classical Arabic, and it has been suggested that the word may originally have been derived from the Arabic word sahl "plain" instead. [23]:9 Over-farming, over-grazing, over-population of marginal lands, and natural soil erosion, have caused serious desertification of the region. In contrast, average rainfall in the north is just 200mm per year. S ince the late 1960s, the Sahela semiarid region in West Africa between the Sahara desert and the Guinea coast rainforesthas experienced a drought of unprecedented severity in recorded history. The Sahel is a region of western and north-central Africa. Where are people in the Sahel fleeing to? Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. The area is undergoing desertification, which is when the land gradually loses much of its vegetation and becomes more and more arid, moving towards desert habitat. In Africa, scientists are hard at work restoring land once rich with biodiversity and vegetation. According to OCHA, $2.8 billion would effectively provide aid to these impoverished individuals in the Sahel. At its peak, the Songhai Empire stretched from Cameroon to the Maghreb, making it the largest state in African history. One of the greatest environmental issues of dry regions, desertification is becoming a major problem in the countries of the Sahara, and more importantly, the Sahel. In the mid-15th century, another empire, the Songhai Empire, began expanding rapidly. This article was most recently revised and updated by, United Nations - Africa Renewal - The Sahel: Land of Opportunities, Sahel - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). How are women and children impacted by this crisis? The Sahel is facing a big problem, desertification . A long period of drought, beginning in 1968, led to the virtual extinction of the crops in the Sahel. Hundreds of scholars and traders would descend on the town after traversing the desert for months. In the southern part of the country the climate is of the type known as Sahelian, which is characterized by a single, short rainy season. The Woodless Construction project was introduced in Sahel in 1980 by the Development Workshop, achieving since then a high social impact in the region. Protection activities such as refugee registration, documentation and access to asylum are also being scaled. To re-enable the tools or to convert back to English, click "view original" on the Google Translate toolbar. Kanem-Bornu and the Fulani Empire endured until the arrival of Europeans. The Sahel is comprised of parts of various countries, including but not limited to Senegal, Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan and the Northern tip of Nigeria. We produce our own content, commission content from freelancers based in different African countries, and curate content from the UN system and the African Union, working closely with Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA), the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD). The Sudanese Sahel became part of independent Sudan in 1956, and South Sudan in turn achieved its independence from Sudan proper in 2011. The climate is typically hot, sunny, dry and somewhat windy all year long. It has a tropical semi-arid climate, and the temperature is relatively high. The Sahel mainly receives a low to very low amount of precipitation annually. The Sahel acts like a buffer or transition zone between the Sahara Desert to the north and the fertile savannahs to the south. The Sahel stretches from the Atlantic Ocean eastward through northern Senegal, southern Mauritania, the great bend of the Niger River in Mali, Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta), southern Niger, northeastern Nigeria, south-central Chad, and into Sudan. Several environmental problems are being addressed in the Sahel, such as land degradation, rainfall, and soil loss. People in the Sahel are semi-nomadic cattle herders that move with the seasonal flooding of Niger. The seasonal wetlands of the Sahel are important for migratory birds moving within Africa and on the African-Eurasian flyways.[3]. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents. The Sahel is a relatively fertile region, which makes it much more inhabitable than the Sahara Desert to the north. If these conditions continue for a long time, there will be very little agricultural success on the land. We've detected you are on Internet Explorer. Other forage for the regions livestock (camel, pack ox, and grazing cattle and sheep) includes thorny shrubs and acacia and baobab trees. Prolonged school closures not only deprive refugee children from the opportunity to create a better future for themselves, but also increase their risks of abuse, neglect, violence and exploitation. After translating an article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled. It is between the dry desert land to the north and the forest areas to the south. Monthly giving is the most convenient, effective and efficient way you can help people fleeing conflict. The Sahel was once home to several indigenous African kingdoms. Stretching from the Atlantic to the Red Sea, and passing through over a dozen countries, this region has acted as a barrier for thousands of years, separating Africa in two. It lies at the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. In January and February the continental equivalent of the northeast trade winds, the harmattan . The Sahel region is a narrow region located in West Africa. By joining Kidadl you agree to Kidadls Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receiving marketing communications from Kidadl. 10 Facts about the Sahel Desert April 25, 2017 Ramli Deserts Find out Facts about the Sahel Desert in the below post. Head south, through the Sahel, and you will eventually come to the Nuba Mountains and the newest country in the world, South Sudan. Copyright 2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Great Mosque of Djenn, Mali, 1907 (photo: Martha de Jong-Lantink, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) The Great Mosque that we see today is its third reconstruction, completed in 1907. Terrorist organizations operating in the Sahel, including Boko Haram, Islamic State and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), have greatly exacerbated the violence, extremism and instability of the region. (25:01), INSIDE STORY: Has campaign against armed groups in West Africas Sahel failed? The macroeconomic conditions in the Sahel have been steadier and stronger than the continental average over the past decade. The word Sahel literally means edge or border in Arabic. The conflict has claimed more than 6,500 lives in the last year and threatens to leave at least 7.4 million people suffering from acute malnutrition. Plans to connect it with other major highways are proposed including stretching it all the way to the Red Sea should Chad, Sudan, and Eritrea stabilize in the future. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. National Mosque, Abuja (Photo by Kipp Jones, Wikimedia Commons). The "Great Green Wall" is an initiative to increase the amount of arable land in the Sahel, the region bordering Africa's Sahara Desert. What are the biggest challenges in the Sahel? The Sahel region of Africa is a 3,860-kilometre arc-like land mass lying to the immediate south of the Sahara Desert and stretching east-west across the breadth of the African continent. The Sahel is a band of territory in Africa that stretches the length of the continent, from the Atlantic coast of Senegal and Mauritania to the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. The same safe and trusted content for explorers of all ages. 1310 L ST NW, STE 450, Washington, DC 20005. 5 Things You Should Know About the War in Ukraine. There is a need for a lot of trees to be cut down to meet demands for firewood, thus causing deforestation. The Sahel region is a narrow belt of land situated in West Africa. Although it has abundant human and natural resources, offering tremendous potential for rapid growth, there are deep-rooted challengesenvironmental, political and security that may affect the prosperity and peace of the Sahel. From 1951 to 2004, the Sahel experienced some of the most consistent and severe droughts in Africa. It has low-growing grass, thorny shrubs, and scattered acacia and baobab trees. The Barron's news department was not involved in the creation of the content above. Eleven countries . Another struck in southern Algeria, inland Mauritania, Mali and northern Ivory Coast[28] at the same time. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Eleven nations are investing in projects as varied as agroforestry to sustainable development. Though it has fallen on hard times lately, with its narrow alleys, dusty streets, and traditional mud brick architecture, Timbuktu still conjures up images of its former glory. The sunshine duration in the Sahel approaches desert levels, and is comparable to that in the Arabian Desert, for example, even though the Sahel is only a steppe and not a desert. Because of differences between language, culture, lifestyle, and agriculture, Islam slowly made its way through the Sahara, arriving from the north, whereas European Christian colonizers moved inward from the south and coasts. It also brought about the loss of 50 to 70 percent of the cattle. [13], Around 4000 BC, the climate of the Sahara and the Sahel started to become drier at an exceedingly fast pace. It is a strip of land about 5500 kilometers long and 450 kilometres wide. The total land area of the Sahel is 3,053,200 sq. Desertification has progressed despite some government reforestation programs. [16] There was a major drought in the Sahel in 1914 caused by annual rains far below average, leading to large-scale famine. The Sahel can be a harsh region to live in. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Sahel has a semi-arid climate. Frustration over the perceived failure of French and UN forces to stem the tide of violence has been compounded by alleged human-rights abuses including unlawful killings during military operations of the national armies in the region. The highest peak in the Sahel is known as Koel, and is located in Burkina Faso. Severe drought and famine again afflicted the Sahel in 198385, and desertification progressed despite some government reforestation programs. Therefore, investments in education and . Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon. While there is no concrete number on the amount of people living here because many are semi-nomadic, some estimate 100 million people will call the Sahel home by 2020. The Songhai Empire (also transliterated as Songhay) was a state located in the western part of the Sahel during the 15th and 16th centuries. The birds you can find there include lots of migratory bird species. When did the Sahel refugee crisis begin? It refers to the Sahelian border with the Sahara where plants and shrubs start to grow and take root, forming a desert shoreline of sorts. In early February, France, meanwhile, announced it was expanding its military presence in the region and sending an additional 600 troops to its existing 4,500-strong mission. Many areas still retain a traditional ruler and court, however. A distance of 3,670 mi (5,900 km) lies between it and the Red Sea. It is one of the regions rich with an abundant supply of natural resources, humans, and culture. Modest crops of millet and peanuts (groundnuts) can be raised in many areas. The Sahel region faces environmental issues that are contributing to global warming. Understandably, it took centuries for religion to meet at the interior, in what is now, the Sahel. The former lasts from May to September, while the latter lasts six to eight months afterwards. It was once home to several indigenous African kingdoms and is now home to a myriad of ethnic groups. To the west of Kanem-Bornu were city-states controlled by the Hausa ethnic group. It has low-growing grass, thorny shrubs, and scattered acacia and baobab trees. According to legend, the original Great Mosque was probably erected in the 13th century, when King Koi KonboroDjenn's twenty-sixth ruler and its first Muslim sultan (king . Unbelievably versatile, it is an important component of many things including some paint and printmaking, cosmetics, pharmaceutical drugs, adhesive, many hard or gummy candies, and most importantly, soda! The land has a tendency to merge into desert because of overfarming and the overgrazing of livestock. It includes the west to eastern parts of Northern Senegal, Cameroon, Chad, The Gambia, Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Niger. The Sahel is home to several people and cultures. Approximately 1.8 million people have been internally displaced (forced to flee their home but not cross a border) and more than half a million have sought refuge in neighboring countries. The Sahel is also the main dividing area between the Muslim areas of North Africa and the Christian and animist south of the continent. The promotion of Woodless Construction in West Africa (19802017)", "U.S. creates new envoy position to counter rising terrorism in Sahel", "Dr. J. Peter Pham United States Department of State", "How Climate Change Is Spurring Land Conflict in Nigeria", "The battle on the frontline of climate change in Mali", "Farmer-Herder Conflicts on the Rise in Africa", "Climate change, food shortages, and conflict in Mali", "Allegations of Human Rights Violations and Abuses in the Sahel", "Sahel: Atrocities by the security forces are fueling recruitment by armed Islamists", "Militants Are Edging South Toward West Africa's Most Stable and Prosperous States", "SERIES 2 | Rising tensions in the Sahel", Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Lagha CHEGROUCHE, "L'arc gopolitique de l'nergie: le croissant nergtique, in Le Soir d'Algrie, 19/12/2010, The Growing Crisis in Africa's Sahel Region: Joint Hearing before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations and the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa and the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade of the Committee in Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, First Session, May 21, 2013, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sahel&oldid=1167729149, Ecoregions of the Central African Republic, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2013, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2022, Articles needing additional references from September 2022, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2022, Articles with French-language sources (fr), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, Simon, L., A. Mattelaer and A. Hadfield (2012), This page was last edited on 29 July 2023, at 14:36. Incidents of rape and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), violence against children, exploitation, trafficking, forced recruitment and early marriage are on sharp rise. Plant life in the Sahel consists of semi-arid grasslands, savanna, and thorn shrub lands. The modern-day Soninke live near Bakel, on the Senegal River, and in countries neighboring Senegal. In addition to the issues faced by changes in the climate, the countries in the region are also subject to significant unrest and violence from armed groups, as well as economic insecurity and poverty. 1. Many countries of the Sahel have been struggling with extreme climate shifts thatresult in recurring droughts with devastating effects on the already vulnerable populations residing in the underdeveloped region. It has dry land where no agricultural activity can occur. Animals still found in certain areas include gazelles, oryx, buffalo, African wild dogs, cheetahs, and lions. These fertile lands, however, are becoming increasingly infertile because of drought, deforestation, and intense agriculture. What is the most common economic activity in the Sahel? During November 2004, a number of major dust storms hit Chad, originating in the Bodl Depression. King Mansa Musa of Mali (Wikipedia Commons). The regions livestock includes camels, pack oxen, and grazing cattle and sheep. Armed conflict, economic insecurity, and the adverse effects of climate change are some of the biggest challenges affecting the region. Part of the Sahel also reaches into the extreme northern parts of Burkina Faso and Nigeria, and the extreme south of Algeria. The modern-day country of Mali is named after this once-vast empire. Sahel is an Arabic word that means 'shoreline' or 'edge'. Africa's "Great Green Wall" initiative is a proposed 8,000-kilometer line of trees meant to hold back the Sahara from expanding southward. During the "coldest period", the average high temperatures are between 27 and 33C (81 and 91F) and the average low temperatures are between 15 and 21C (59 and 70F). More people are keeping animals for food because of these issues with growing crops. By continuing to use this site, you consent to the terms of our cookie policy, which can be found in our. But the fighting has sharply deteriorated in recent years as armed groups have expanded their reach, exploiting poverty as well as religious and ethnic divisions for recruitment. We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. Why is desertification taking place in the Sahel? What is UNHCR doing to help in the Sahel? Species of acacia are the dominant trees, with Acacia tortilis the most common, along with Acacia senegal and Acacia laeta. The difference between the dry North with higher levels of soil nutrients and the wetter South with more vegetation, is utilized by having the herds graze on high-quality feed in the North during the wet season, and trek several hundred kilometers to the South to graze on more abundant, but less nutritious feed during the dry period. The area of the Sahel is 1,178,850 sq mi (3,053,200 sq km). There are strong seasonal variations in rainfall, sometimes resulting in severe drought or extreme flooding . The Sahel rarely experiences cold temperatures. The loss of human life by starvation and disease was estimated in 1973 at 100,000. A largely . In the last quarter of the 20th century, the region suffered the worst droughts of anywhere on the planet. It is the coastal band of hills in Algeria and the eastern coastal plain of Tunisia. While there is a multitude of non-state armed groups operating in the region, the two main actors behind increasingly sophisticated attacks in recent years have been the al-Qaeda-linked Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) and the ISIL-affiliated Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS). If the change in climate in the Sahel region "is not slowed-down and desertification possibly reversed through sustainable practices and any form of reforestation, it is only a matter of time before" countries like Niger lose their entire landmass to desert due to unchecked unsustainable human practises. Many countries of the Sahel have been struggling with extreme climate shifts that. The central Sahel region, which includes the countries of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, is facing one of the fastest growing displacement crises in the world yet one of the most forgotten. Then, students will learn how Africa is responding to desertification with a project called the Great Green Wall and how growing the Great Green Wall . Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published. So, countries in the region are encouraged to adopt, with support from international partners, the necessary measures to fully implement the support plan. The Sahel continued to expand southward into neighboring savannas, with the Sahara following in its wake. The fragile nature of agriculture and pastoralism in the Sahel was strikingly demonstrated in the early 1970s, when a long period of drought, beginning in 1968, led to the virtual extinction of the crops there and the loss of 50 to 70 percent of the cattle. With 64.5% of the population being below 25 years, the Sahel is one of the worlds most youthful regions. Facts about the Sahel region The Sahel is a semi-arid belt of land in Africa south of the Sahara and north of the wetter areas to the south. Rainfall runoff and the wind then carried off the fertile topsoils, leaving arid and barren wastelands. SUMMARY Five facts about shocks affecting households in the Sahel 1. The state is known by its historiographical name, derived from its largest ethnic group and ruling elite, the Songhai people. With 64.5% of the population being below 25 years, the Sahel is one of the world's most youthful regions. The Sahel acts like a buffer or transition zone between the Sahara Desert to the north and the fertile savannahs to the south. She is also an avid animal lover who dedicates her time to volunteering for animal welfare causes.

. Your privacy is important to us. This climate change caused lakes and rivers to shrink significantly and caused increasing desertification. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. [26] A major initiative to combat desertification in the Sahel region via reforestation and other interventions is the Great Green Wall. As a result of the conflict, millions of families have been displaced across the region, including 650,000 people uprooted in the past year alone. According to the United Nations, attacks have increased fivefold in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger since 2016, Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights, INSIDE STORY: Whats behind the upsurge in violence in the Sahel? The first large state to materialize in the Sahel was the empire of Ghana, not to be confused with the modern-day country of Ghana in Western Africa, for which it is named. The overarching goal of the UN Support Plan for the Sahel is to scale up efforts to accelerate shared prosperity and lasting peace in the Sahel countries and the region at-large by implementing priorities to achieve the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and the African Union Agenda 2063. The Sahel is the Arabic word for 'edge' or 'shore'. The Sahel is becoming drier on the whole. https://www.barrons.com/news/explainer-what-is-the-sahel-and-why-is-it-so-important-01605878107. Sahel Crisis Explained The central Sahel region, which includes the countries of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, is facing one of the fastest growing displacement crises in the world - yet one of the most forgotten. Like the drought in 1914, this led to a large-scale famine, but this time somewhat tempered by international visibility and an outpouring of aid. Corrections? The Sahel runs in an east-to-west band through portions of the countries of Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, and Eritrea. The violence in the epicentre of the conflict has caused a major humanitarian crisis as attacks targeting civilians increase in number and frequency. They now live in the Senegalese and Malian parts of the Sahel region. Over the past 30 years, the Sahara has encroached on the n Sahel in the world's most notorious example of desertification. This paper highlights research that . The thorny scrub once formed a woodland, but the country is now fairly open. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content. [5][6][7][8], Traditionally, most of the people in the Sahel have been semi-nomads, farming and raising livestock in a system of transhumance, which is probably the most sustainable way of utilizing the Sahel. The Sahel is approximately 5,900 km long. The least humid places have a relative humidity under 35%. It is a dry land of about 279.6 mi (450 km) wide and 3,417.5 mi (5,500 km) long. This, in turn, has increased local competition for natural resources and threatens to exacerbate conflict and instability in the region. At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. Sahel The Sahel ( / shl /; Arabic: sil [sail], "coast, shore") [1] is a region in Africa. [citation needed]. The steppe has a very long, prevailing dry season and a short rainy season. A multinational military force comprising of troops contributed by the G5 Sahel regional body Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger has struggled to halt the violence since it began operations in 2017 amid persistent funding shortfalls and coordination disputes.

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