Can you imagine a sea of sand three times bigger than India? This is the Sahara Desert, the largest desert in the world. It covers 11 countries in North Africa and is over 9 million square kilometers. That's more than 25% of Africa.
In the Sahara, temperatures are very different during the day and at night. It is much hotter during the day than at night. During the day, the hottest time is between 2 pm and 4 pm, when temperature rises to 33℃. But it is very cold at night—the coldest time is at 4 am, when temperatures fall to -1℃. The Sahara is very dry. The average precipitation (降水) in a year is only 70 millimeters.
How to stay alive in the Sahara Desert？Marco Rivera, our survival expert, has some tips.
Take warm clothes and a blanket. You will need a hat, long trousers and a woollen jumper to keep you warm at night. During the day, cover your body, head and face. Clothes protect you from the sun and keep water in your body. You will also need a warm blanket at night. It can get cold very quickly. When the temperature drops, it can be a shock and make you feel even colder.
A car is easier to see than a person walking in the desert. You can also use the mirrors from your car to signal to planes and other cars. You can use your car tyres to make a fire. A fire is easy to see. It will help people find you and it will keep you warm at night.
Try to drink some water at least once every hour. You need your water to last as long as possible. Drink only what you need. When you talk, you lose water from your body. Keep your mouth closed and do not talk.
If you eat, you will get thirsty and drink all of your water more quickly. You can eat a little, but only to stop you from feeling very hungry. Eat very small amounts of food and eat very slowly. You can live for three weeks with no food, but you can only live for three days without water.
