The famous desert located in northern Africa is the Sahara Desert. It is the largest hot desert in the world and spans over 9.2 million square kilometers (3.6 million square miles). The Sahara is known for its vast stretches of sand dunes, rocky plateaus, and extreme temperature variations, often exceeding 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day in summer. Numerous ancient civilizations thrived around its borders, and today it hosts a variety of unique flora and fauna adapted to its harsh conditions. The Sahara also plays a critical role in the culture and history of North Africa.