Misplaced Pages

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76-461: This lake, called the "Great Lake" in the inner delta of Niger River between Jenne and Timbuktu in Mali, was known to Europeans from very early times. The earliest known report of it was in the first millennium BC. Ptolemy described it as having the shape of a barbell . Study of more than 400 maps of the region created over a period from 1000 to 1900 AD found that the lake appeared on 95 percent;

152-454: A grass, shrub and tree layer, up to 80% of vegetation cover in the Sahel consists of grass. In the delta area however, water is more readily available and a larger proportion of cover consists of bushes and trees. Vegetation cover itself changes as well, reaching 100% during and shortly after the flood season. Only low lying patches near a persistent water body are vegetated year-round. The area

228-575: A great deal of autonomy. The larger Sahelian kingdoms emerged from 750 AD and erected several large cities in the Niger valley region, including Timbuktu , Gao and Djenné . Due to the wooded areas to their south, the Sahelian states were hindered from expanding into the north Akan state of the Bonoman and Yoruba peoples , as mounted warriors were all but useless in the forests. In addition,

304-411: A main body water and elevation. In turn, this strongly affects land use in and around the inland delta, as human impact is driven by agriculture , both irrigated and rainfed, grazing and browsing of herds and flocks and the collection of wood for fuel, all dependent on the availability of water. The Inland Delta forms a green oasis in its semi-arid surroundings. Its vegetation growth is limited by

380-459: A meandering and multi-channel flow pattern, which has resulted in the formation of inner delta of the Niger. The inner delta thus has many wide channels, which are shallow and flooded marshes; this delta extends over a length of 320 km (200 mi) with a width of 80 km (50 mi). It is inferred from the study of nearly 400 maps that it is the delta which is the origin of the lake and that

456-448: A relative humidity under 35%. The Sahel is characterized by constant, intense heat, with an unvarying temperature. The Sahel rarely experiences cold temperatures. During the hottest period, the average high temperatures are generally between 36 and 42 °C (97 and 108 °F) (and even more in the hottest regions), often for more than three months, while the average low temperatures are around 25 to 31 °C (77 to 88 °F). During

532-571: A series of monarchies centered in the Sahel between the 9th and 18th centuries. The wealth of the states, like the legendary Mali Empire at the time of Mansa Musa , came from controlling the trans-Saharan trade routes across the desert, especially with the Maghreb . Their power came from having large pack animals like camels and horses that were fast enough to keep a large empire under central control and were also useful in battle. All of these empires were quite decentralized with member cities having

608-522: A similar way lack of control is also causing over-grazing. Finally the Selingue Dam and other water control projects affect the levels and seasonal behaviour of the rivers. Sahel The Sahel region ( / s ə ˈ h ɛ l / ; from Arabic ساحل ( sāḥil [ˈsaːħil] )  'coast, shore'), or Sahelian acacia savanna , is a biogeographical region in Africa . It

684-560: A system of transhumance . 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. In Western Sahel, polygamy and child marriage are common. Female genital mutilation

760-691: A warmer Atlantic Ocean. Warming of the Mediterranean Sea may also be a factor. Protected areas in the Sahel include Ferlo Nord Wildlife Reserve in Senegal, Sylvo-Pastoral and Partial Faunal Reserve of the Sahel in Burkina Faso, Ansonga-Ménake Faunal Reserve in Mali, Tadres Reserve in Niger, and Waza National Park in Cameroon. Traditionally, most of the people in the Sahel have been semi- nomads , farming and raising livestock in

836-404: Is 43 °C (109 °F) and at Mopti is 40 °C (104 °F). The cooler climatic season is from December to January with temperatures dropping to a mean minimum of 3 °C (37 °F) to 6 °C (43 °F) in the northern part of the delta. Lake Débo during high flow season when it has the maximum dimensions of water spread, is 80 km (50 mi) from Mopti on its upstream, on

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912-608: Is a common area for dust storms, occurring on average on 100 days every year. On 23 March 2010, a major sandstorm hit Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia , Guinea-Bissau , Guinea , and inland Sierra Leone . Another struck in southern Algeria , inland Mauritania, Mali and northern Ivory Coast at the same time. Following the drought period of the 1970s and 1980, however, the Sahel began to experience increased rainfall. This may be due to global warming , which can cause changes that may result in changes in large-scale weather patterns, such as increased stronger monsoons, in turn caused by

988-541: Is also called the Sahelian Acacia savanna in honour of its most prominent and very drought tolerant genus of tree. The topography of the Sahel is mainly flat; most of the region lies between 200 and 400 meters (660 and 1,310 ft) in elevation. Several isolated plateaus and mountain ranges rise from the Sahel (e.g. Marrah Mountains , Aïr Mountains , Ennedi Plateau ), but are designated as separate ecoregions because their flora and fauna are distinct from

1064-525: Is also practiced across the Sahel. The term "Sahel" is borrowed from the Arabic name for the region, الساحل al-sāḥil . Sāḥil literally means "coast, shore", which has been explained as a figurative reference to the southern edge of the vast Sahara. However, such use is unattested in Classical Arabic , and it has been suggested that the word may originally have been derived from

1140-453: Is also reported from the flood plains. Within the basin area of the lake and the delta mammal species reported include: roan antelope , dorcas gazelle , dama gazelle , red-fronted gazelle , whilst reptile species include Nile monitor and African rock python . The avifauna found within the lake area, which forms one of the major wetlands in the Sahel , is represented by species from both

1216-560: Is extensive, is of wild rice ( Oryza longistaminata and bartti ). Another plant species that acts as barrier to sand deposition is the Vetiveria nigritiana , when the water stages in the lake and the delta is high. The aquatic plants sustain varying levels of water in the lake and the soil types dictates the ecology of the region. The sloping banks of the lake have shrubs interspersed with grasses and vacant patches, and woody species, generally of acacia species. Akkagoun and Dentaka are

1292-407: Is formed upstream of the confluence of Niger and Bani Rivers . It is the best known lacustrine lake in Mali, which has diameter of 30 km (19 mi) and shallow and hence large vessels can not pass through the lake. In the upper highland reaches of these rivers, the highland terrain slopes are very gentle resulting in the retardation of flows and creation of this lake. The slope reported before

1368-409: Is in the range of 2.4–3.0 m (8–10 ft). Foolahs, the nomads who live here, use these marshes as pastures in the dry season and thereafter they go back to their habitats in the interior of the basin. During the high flood stage, flood waters arriving at the lake are reported as 12,400 km/s (178,000 cu mi/min). This was absorbed in the vast lake, as storage, and the out flow from

1444-462: Is not uniform: according to relief , proximity to a water body and soil type, different species exist. Roughly, three regions with characteristic species can be discerned: Southern Delta The low-lying floodplains can sustain aquatic plants and grasses including the grasses Acroceras amplectens and Echinochloa pyramidalis , burgu millet ( Echinochloa stagnina ) and the lovegrass Eragrostis atrovirens . Outer fringes - The grasslands on

1520-413: Is only a matter of time before countries like Niger lose their entire landmass to desert due to unchecked unsustainable human practices. Over-farming , over-grazing, over-population of marginal lands, and natural soil erosion , have caused serious desertification of the region. This has affected shelter construction, making it necessary to change the used materials. The Woodless Construction project

1596-590: Is probably extinct in the wild , and both Pelorovis and the Bubal hartebeest are now extinct). The seasonal wetlands of the Sahel are important for migratory birds moving within Africa and on the African-Eurasian flyways . The Sahel has a tropical semi-arid climate ( Köppen climate classification BSh ). The climate is typically hot, sunny, dry and somewhat windy all year long. The Sahel's climate

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1672-461: Is similar to, but less extreme than, the climate of the Sahara desert located just to the north. The Sahel mainly receives a low to very low amount of precipitation annually. The steppe has a very long, prevailing dry season and a short rainy season. The precipitation is also extremely irregular, and varies considerably from season to season. Most of the rain usually falls during four to six months in

1748-617: Is the transition zone between the more humid Sudanian savannas to its south and the drier Sahara to the north. The Sahel has a hot semi-arid climate and stretches across the southernmost latitudes of North Africa between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea . Although geographically located in the tropics, the Sahel does not have a tropical climate . Especially in the western Sahel, there are frequent shortages of food and water due to its very high government corruption and

1824-474: The Gobiocichla wonderi are two endemic species of fishes in the lake which is part of the inland delta. The aquatic fauna in the delta as a whole, which is reflective of the lake also, consists of 130 species mostly of the species in the families of Mormyridae , Mochokidae , and Cyprinidae . There are many migratory fish species which migrate along the river to this region; out of these migrating fishes

1900-567: The African tetras Brycinus leuciscus travels long distances up to the delta and also up to the toe of the Markala Dam . When the Niger and Bani Rivers are in spate , fishing operations are carried out in the lake using trawlers. The ethnic Bozo fisherman, resident on the shores of the lake are involved in these operations. During the dry season, the many ethnic Fula nomads come to this lake area as their terminus destination during

1976-514: The French army. The region became a part of the country of Mali on its independence in 1960. The Niger inland Delta lies in the Sahelian zone, and has an ecosystem that is largely dependent on the amount of flooding it receives. Precipitation in the water basins of the upper course of the Bani and Niger rivers makes for rising waterlevels downstream. The rising water floods varying parts of

2052-624: The G5 Sahel , an anti-terrorism alliance, after the military regimes in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali withdrew. On 9 July 2020, the United States raised concerns over growing number of allegations of human rights violations and abuses by state security forces in Sahel. The US response came after Human Rights Watch released documents regarding the same on 1 July. Reports in March 2022 show militants are expanding and spreading out south of

2128-606: The Niger River , between the bifurcated Niger and its tributary the Bani , which from here run north towards the desert. The Niger is the longest river in West Africa. Towns such as the river-port of Mopti , Sévaré and Djenné , with its mud-brick Great Mosque lie in the 400 km-long region. The Fulani and Dogon inhabit the Macina region and the surrounding area, which has a population of over 500,000. Most of

2204-481: The Palearctic and Afrotropic ecozones. Over one million birds have been recorded as using the lake;, including a large number of migratory and resident species, such as sand martin and yellow wagtail , reed cormorant , glossy ibis , spoonbill , great white egret , purple heron , ferruginous duck , white-winged black tern , ruff and black-tailed godwit . However, a number of Afrotropical species such as

2280-417: The Red Sea in the east, in a belt several hundred to a thousand kilometers (c. 600 miles) wide. It covers an area of 3,053,200 square kilometers (1,178,850 sq mi). Representing a climatic and ecological transition zone with hot semi-desert and steppe conditions , the Sahel region borders the more humid Sudanian savannas to its south and the dry Sahara desert to the north. This ecoregion

2356-400: The semi-arid climate . This is exacerbated by very high birthrates across the region, resulting in a rapid increase in population. In recent times, various coups , insurgencies , terrorism and foreign interventions have taken place in many Sahel countries, especially across former Françafrique . The Sahel spans 5,900 km (3,670 mi) from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to

Lake Débo - Misplaced Pages Continue

2432-454: The "Harima" (meaning: a local convention) with the chief of village and other members responsible for its usage; and the several small holdings (within the bourgou ) parceled to private individuals. the perennial grasses grown are edible and easily digestible with botanical names of Echinochloa stagnina (a perennial plant) and Vossia cuspidata , and which grow in varying depths of water (3–5 m or 10–16 ft). The crop variety, which

2508-429: The "coldest period", the average high temperatures are between 27 and 33 °C (81 and 91 °F) and the average low temperatures are between 15 and 21 °C (59 and 70 °F). Everywhere in the Sahel, the average mean temperature is over 18 °C (64 °F). 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

2584-566: The Arabic word سهل sahl "plain" instead. Around 4000 BC, the climate of the Sahara and the Sahel started to become drier at an exceedingly fast pace. This climate change caused lakes and rivers to shrink significantly and caused increasing desertification . This, in turn, decreased the amount of land conducive to settlements and caused migrations of farming communities to the more humid climate of West Africa . The Sahelian kingdoms were

2660-590: The Inner Niger Delta by 43 percent. The area under deep inundation is crucial for pastoralists , because it is only there that Borgou ( Echinochloa stagnina ) grows, a plant which is particularly nutritious for cattle. Nomadic pastoralists come from as far away as Burkina Faso and Mauritania to allow their cattle to graze on the Borgou of the Inner Niger Delta. According to a report in Jeune Afrique ,

2736-491: The Malians living there and during the wet season is a haven for large numbers of birds. Due to its proximity to the widening Sahel , there have been concerns that the Macina may be getting less rain every year. In the early 19th century, Seku Amadu founded a Massina Empire in the region, building a capital at Hamdullahi in 1820. The Massina fell to El Hadj Umar Tall 's Toucouleur Empire in 1862, who in turn fell to

2812-594: The Sahara desert, has climatic conditions which are reported to be a transitional zone of humid Guinean climate in the south to a dry climate at border with the Sahara. The rainy season in the south lasts from July to October, with an average annual rainfall of 750 mm (30 in). However, the rainy season in the north lasts from July to September, with an average annual precipitation recorded at 250 mm (9.8 in). Temperatures vary with strong seasonal emphasis. The average maximum temperature recorded in May at Tombouctou

2888-410: The Sahel region has experienced frequent droughts and megadroughts . One megadrought lasted from 1450 to 1700, 250 years. There was a major drought in the Sahel in 1914 caused by annual rains far below average, leading to large-scale famine. From 1951 to 2004, the Sahel experienced some of the most consistent and severe droughts in Africa. The 1960s saw a large increase in rainfall in the region, making

2964-473: The Sahel. The area has also seen a high prevalence of coups d'état , with military juntas currently ruling in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, and Sudan. The violent herder–farmer conflicts in Nigeria , Mali , Sudan and other countries in the Sahel region have been exacerbated by climate change , land degradation , and rapid population growth . Droughts and food shortages have been also linked to

3040-476: The area by the human population. Mammals remaining include the African manatee , known as the sea cow which lives in the rivers and feeds on underwater plants. And the rivers are rich in fish including two endemics; the Mochokidae catfish Synodontis gobroni and a cichlid , Gobiocichla wonderi . The construction of a large irrigation project upstream of the Inner Niger Delta threatens its ecology and

3116-452: The availability of water, thus giving patches more often or longer subject to flooding a denser and more tree-like vegetation cover. As said, flooding cycles follow the precipitation cycle. The vegetation cycle in its turn follows the flooding cycle with a certain delay: it takes days for grasses to germinate after flooding, but months before trees die of a lack of water when floodwater has once again receded. When classifying vegetation in

Lake Débo - Misplaced Pages Continue

3192-429: The creation of the lake is 1.5 m (5 ft) per 160 km (100 mi). The lake is divided by a barrier into two zones, the upper and the lower. The barrier extends several kilometres southwards. Beyond the barrier, the lake is narrow and long and its outreach is not visible. The Bara Lisa River joins the Niger above Dire . It exits the deltas from the northern shores of Lake Debo and flows east. The Issa Baris ,

3268-534: The daylight hours). 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. The cloud cover is low to very low. For example, Niamey , Niger has 3,082 hours of bright sunshine; Gao , Mali has near 3,385 hours of sunshine; Timbuktu , Mali has 3,409 sunny hours, and N'Djamena , Chad has 3,205 hours of sunlight. For hundreds of years,

3344-499: The delta area are not flooded until early to mid-October. The consequence is that parts of the delta are flooded while the dry season is well under way. Note that only the lowest patches are flooded annually: higher elevations receive flooding in more intermittent periods due to the changing degrees of waterlevel rises. This division in roughly three zones (flooded, periodically flooded and not-periodically flooded), makes for patches that vary in their nature according to their proximity to

3420-625: The dominant trees, with Acacia tortilis the most common, along with Senegalia senegal and Senegalia laeta . Other tree species include Adansonia digitata , Commiphora africana , Balanites aegyptiaca , Faidherbia albida , Borassus aethiopum , Vitellaria paradoxa , Olea europaea , Arbutus unedo , Phoenix canariensis , Hyphaene compressa , Cupressus sempervirens , Quercus coccifera , Quercus suber , Pinus nigra , Populus nigra , Ceratonia siliqua , Salix alba , Afzelia africana , Kigelia africana , Sclerocarya birrea , and Boscia senegalensis . In

3496-447: The edges of the watercourses, are heavily grazed. Plants include the beardgrass Andropogon gayanus , dūrvā grass Cynodon dactylon , and the thatching grass Hyparrhenia dissoluta . Along the many watercourses, Mimosa asperata and Salix chevalieri grow above a Cyperus maculatus understory. Northern Delta Characterized by emergent sand ridges which sustain the palm trees Hyphaene thebaica and Borassus aethiopum ,

3572-476: The flooded forest savannah with aquatic herbaceous and two dominant species of acacia . These pastures are known locally as bourgou grass. Palms like Hyphaene thebaica , and Borassus aethiopum are also reported on the fringes of the lake. There are three types of pasture lands, defined on the basis of its management. These are: Resident Fulani's pastures which are controlled by the Amiro (the chief Joro);

3648-444: The forested areas surrounding the lake and the delta, which are home for many water birds. Algal blooms are also reported from the lake which could result in reduction of the water transparency. The West African manatee is the most prominent fauna species in the lake which is reported as its last habitat in the world. Hippos are also reported from the lake (the hippo population is estimated at 40 to 60 individuals). Nile crocodile

3724-671: The founding of the International Fund for Agricultural Development . Between June and August 2010, famine struck the Sahel. Niger's crops failed to mature in the heat, 350,000 faced starvation, and 1,200,000 were at risk of famine. In Chad the temperature reached 47.6 °C (117.7 °F) on 22 June in Faya-Largeau , breaking a record set in 1961 at the same location. Niger tied its highest temperature record set in 1998, also on 22 June, at 47.1 °C in Bilma . That record

3800-834: The giant prehistoric buffalo ( Pelorovis ) , and Bubal hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus buselaphus) , along with large predators, such as the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) , the Northwest African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki) , the Northeast African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii) , and the lion (Panthera leo) . The larger species have been greatly reduced in number by over-hunting and competition with livestock, and several species are vulnerable (Dorcas gazelle, cheetah, lion and red-fronted gazelle), endangered ( Dama gazelle and African wild dog ), or extinct (the Scimitar-horned oryx

3876-478: The gum arabic tree Acacia nilotica , Guarea senegalensis , Mimosa asperata and Ziziphus mauritiana . The delta is home to birds in large numbers including hundreds of thousands of wintering garganeys , pintails and ruffs and breeding colonies of cormorant , heron , spoonbill , ibis and other waterbirds including the endangered West African subspecies of black crowned crane ( Balearica pavonina pavonina ). Most large mammals have been removed from

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3952-399: The heat reached near-record levels over Chad and Niger, and in northern Niger about 20 people reportedly died of dehydration by 27 July. The Sahel region faces environmental issues that are contributing to global warming . 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

4028-530: The horses and camels were susceptible to the humidity and diseases of the tropics. The Western Sahel fell to France in the late 19th century as part of French West Africa . Chad was added in 1900 as part of French Equatorial Africa . The French territories in the Sahel were decolonized in 1960. The Sahel's easternmost region did not fall to the European powers but to the Khedivate of Egypt when it

4104-480: The lake is the largest in the delta. It is integral to the wide river channel with its size fluctuating with variation of the water level in the lake. It also provides confirmation of the nature of blocked water and also includes the Erg of Bara region. The maximum flood in the lake and the delta occurs during November and December. Below Lake Debo, the Niger valley is marked by a large number of lakes, which are lower than

4180-468: The lake is thus moderated to only 2,400 km/s (35,000 cu mi/min) when it reaches Niamey , the capital city of Niger. Since 1962, even a 1,000 km/s (14,000 cu mi/min) extra flow from the lake could now cause increase of water level in the Niamey area by 2 m (6 ft 7 in), rising to the level 181.51 metres (595 ft 6 in). The lake in the Sahel , just south of

4256-616: The livelihoods of its inhabitants. The 100,000 ha project is an extension to the area irrigated by the Office du Niger through the Malibya canal. The extension, which was under construction in 2010, is financed by the Libya Africa Investment Portfolio which will also have the right to exploit the irrigated land. According to James Leten, a researcher, the project will reduce the area under deep inundation in

4332-486: The low-level delta area, with the water rise determined by the amount of rain fallen upstream. This in turn, is influenced by the northward movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone . A delay exists between the peak amount of precipitation and the maximum water level in the inland delta area. While the wet season lasts three months from July till September, the western and southern edges of

4408-471: The main arm of the lake, exits from the lake in a westerly direction and turns northeast to join the Bara Lisa. Geological formations recorded at the bed of the lake are "from dense crystalline rock of Precambrian sandstone compacted in the broad Taoudeni Syncline as an alluvial fan and covered by a hard layer of cemented- laterite ." The flat slopes and geology of the beds has resulted in creating

4484-473: The middle of the year, while the other months may remain absolutely dry. The interior of the Sahel region generally receives between 200 mm and 700 mm of rain yearly. A system of subdivisions often adopted for the Sahelian climate based on annual rainfall is as follows: the Saharan-Sahelian climate, with mean annual precipitation between around 100 and 200 mm (such as Khartoum , Sudan),

4560-433: The northern drier region more accessible. There was a push, supported by governments, for people to move northwards. When the long drought period from 1968 through 1974 began, grazing quickly became unsustainable and large-scale denuding of the terrain followed. 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. This catastrophe led to

4636-500: The northern part of the Sahel, areas of desert shrub, including Panicum turgidum and Aristida sieberiana , alternate with areas of grassland and savanna. During the long dry season, many trees lose their leaves and the predominantly annual grasses die. The Sahel was formerly home to large populations of grazing mammals, including the scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) , dama gazelle (Gazella dama) , Dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas) , red-fronted gazelle (Gazella rufifrons) ,

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4712-463: The only feature depicted on more maps was the Nile . The lake has been known variously as Nigrite Palus, Lake Sigisma, Lake Guber, Lake Guarda, Bog/Morais of Guarda, Lake Maberia, Bahar Seafeena, Lake Dibbie, but it is now known as Lake Débo. The Niger River is assessed as a young river of 2000 years age and is yet to stabilize. However, the natural channels have undergone many meandering changes. The lake

4788-401: The people of Mali. Low water levels in the rivers, lack of rain, increasing human population and a break-up of the traditional tribal arrangements for sharing the resources of the delta are all factors that may contribute to severely damaging the ecosystem. In particular fishing is less regulated (in the past only two tribes were permitted to fish) and fish stocks in the rivers are declining. In

4864-453: The rare black crowned crane are dwindling. A sea side feeling is felt around the lake and the delta, as the air is filled with the sounds of water birds and gulls . As the lake is an important stopping place for migratory birds , UNESCO has classified it as a Ramsar zone under the title whole of Lake Walado Débo , which is part of the inner delta with 350 species of birds, including 118 migratory species. The Synodontis gobroni and

4940-450: The researcher tried to alert the authorities about the need to find alternative livelihoods for the pastoralists, apparently without success. Three Ramsar sites , a total of 1,620 km have been declared in the delta; Lac Horo , Lac Debo , and the Séri floodplain. But the delta is largely unprotected and at the same time fishing and farming in the delta is vital to the livelihoods of

5016-601: The river level. As part of the central delta, the lake is the largest. As it is a part of the Niger River, its size varies with the fluctuation in the water level. and maximum flood occurs in the river during November and December. The lake has a vast expanse of water extending on all sides. The river that is formed at the outlet of the lake has a width of 10 km (6 mi) for a length of 10 km (6 mi) downstream, where after it narrows down, gets spilled into many channels; marshy islands are formed and depth of water

5092-525: The seasonal transhumance migration along with their herds from the north. Inner Niger Delta The Inner Niger Delta , also known as the Macina or Masina , is the inland river delta of the Niger River . It is an area of fluvial wetlands, lakes and floodplains in the semi-arid Sahel area of central Mali , just south of the Sahara Desert . The delta consists of the middle course of

5168-555: The southern end, and 240 km (150 mi) from Timbuktu at its downstream, on the north-eastern end. It is the largest of many such seasonal wetlands and lakes which form the Inner Niger Delta , and the largest lake within Mali. Its size is largely reduced during the dry season of September to March. The inundated Lake Débo and Walado Débo (Inner Niger Delta in Mali) form the pasture lands which are collectively known as

5244-511: The strict Sahelian climate, with mean annual precipitation between around 200 and 700 mm (such as Niamey , Niger) and the Sahelian-Sudanese climate, with mean annual precipitation between around 700 and 900 mm (such as Ouagadougou , Burkina Faso). The relative humidity in the steppe is low to very low, often between 10% and 25% during the dry season and between 25% and 75% during the rainy season. The least humid places have

5320-495: The surrounding lowlands (e.g. East Saharan woodlands ). Annual rainfall varies from around 100–200 mm (4–8 in) in the north of the Sahel to around 700–1,000 mm (28–39 in) in the south. The Sahel is mostly covered in grassland and savanna, with areas of woodland and shrubland. Grass cover is fairly continuous across the region, dominated by annual grass species such as Cenchrus biflorus , Schoenefeldia gracilis and Aristida stipoides . Species of acacia are

5396-709: The violence, extremism and instability of the region. In March 2020, the United States sent a special envoy for the Sahel region to combat the rising violence from terrorist groups. The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need has highlighted the fact that the Sahel has become one of the most dangerous regions in the world for Christians. As of 2024, a wave of new military juntas in Africa, favoring Russian mercenaries over Western forces and UN peacekeepers, has intensified violence. This led Mauritania and Chad to disband

5472-562: The world's fastest-growing terrorist organization. In 2023, fatalities from conflict in the central Sahel rose by 38%, according to data from the research organization Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. In the wake of the Libyan Crisis beginning in 2011, terrorist organizations operating in the Sahel, including Boko Haram , Islamic State and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), have greatly exacerbated

5548-533: The year the area has a hot and dry climate, with hot winds from the nearby Sahara raising the temperature up to 40 °C or 104 °F. During the wet season, which generally lasts from June to September but is longer the further south one goes, the swamp floods into a lake and naturally irrigates the land. When the dry season comes, the Macina turns into a network of lakes and channels. Cattle , pearl millet , and rice are its important agricultural products. The Macina inland delta also provides water and fish for

5624-407: Was conquered by Muhammad Ali in the 1820s. By 1899 it came under British rule until granted independence at Egypt's behest in 1956. According to The Economist , in recent years the Sahel has become the epicenter of terrorist violence , contributing to 35% of all global deaths from terrorism by 2021, with Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin , an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, identified as

5700-597: Was broken the next day, when Bilma hit 48.2 °C (118.8 °F). The hottest temperature recorded in Sudan was reached on 25 June, at 49.6 °C (121.3 °F) in Dongola , breaking a record set in 1987. Niger reported on 14 July that diarrhoea , starvation, gastroenteritis , malnutrition and respiratory diseases had sickened or killed many children. The new military junta appealed for international food aid and took serious steps to call on overseas help. On 26 July,

5776-624: Was introduced in Sahel in 1980 by the Development Workshop, achieving since then a high social impact in the region. A major initiative to combat desertification in the Sahel region via reforestation and other interventions is the Great Green Wall . Major dust storms are a frequent occurrence as well. During November 2004, a number of major dust storms hit Chad , originating in the Bodélé Depression . This

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