Where is the tropical climate zone located? Natural areas of the tropical zone
Central Africa from A to Z. Population, countries, cities and resorts of Central Africa. Map, photos and videos, descriptions and reviews of tourists.
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The very center of the African continent, with one edge stretching towards the equator and the other stretching along the waters of the Atlantic, Central Africa is a land of savannahs and plateaus, heat and humidity, waterfalls and volcanoes. The region includes nine countries and one overseas territory (where British citizens can easily go without visas or formalities - practically like going to a dacha near Moscow... or rather, a dacha near London). On most Central African soil has never been touched by a tourist, only occasionally local population and the hooves, paws and legs of numerous inhabitants of the animal world regularly step.
As for the tourism destiny of Central Africa, it cannot yet be considered outstanding. There are several reasons for this: the climate is not very suitable for voyages of pale-faced people pampered by civilization - constant heat And high humidity throughout the year, as well as a large number of wetlands inhabited not only by toothy cold-blooded animals (they can still be avoided), but also by all sorts of bad blood-sucking flies, such as tsetse flies - there is no escape from these (so don’t forget about insurance). Let's add to this a long and expensive flight with a transfer, which takes at least 12 hours.
But the animal diversity is breaking all records - but to enjoy it, you have to be like Gerald Durrell or Nikolai Drozdov, that is, endure all the hardships of the surrounding reality with the fortitude of a born naturalist.
The main objects of tourist interest in Central Africa are natural attractions. Consider there is no historical “excursion” here: the founders of African empires of the past (such as, for example, Mali or Ghana), as well as more modern European sovereigns, considered it unreasonable to build in tropical jungle cities - getting to them through the swamps would be too difficult. Among the natural wonders that attract tourists to the countries of the region, it is worth mentioning the Congo River Basin, whose emerald exotic expanses are home to a good half of African animals, the “four-thousander” volcano of Cameroon, which spewed out a huge amount of lava and ash just 10 years ago, Lake Chad is one of the great lakes of Africa and many national parks and nature reserves.
Sao Tome and Principe
Stands apart among the countries of Central Africa Island state Sao Tome and Principe, located 360 km from the continent, in the Gulf of Guinea. There are no swamps or swamps here, but there is a breathtakingly beautiful nature of the volcanic islands, picturesque towns with many Portuguese colonial buildings, ancient forts and mansions of the European nobility, as well as absolutely ridiculous prices. And also this the best place to look at the baobab trees and feel like a planter, walking in a pith helmet through the cocoa fields. Among the items of “souvenir” interest, authentic ritual masks deserve attention, musical instruments, figurines - all carved from wood, as well as nice ceramics in the spirit of African primitivism.
Africa is a part of the world, occupying a fifth of the landmass on planet Earth. There are a total of 60 states in Africa, but only 55 of them are generally recognized, the remaining 5 are self-proclaimed. Each state belongs to one or another region. Traditionally, Africa is divided into five subregions: four according to the cardinal directions (eastern, southern, western, northern) and one central.
Central Africa
The Central African region covers a continental area of 7.3 million square meters. km in rich natural gifts terrain. Geographically, the countries of Central Africa are separated from the rest of the subregions by the East African Continental Rift to the east; the watershed between the Congo rivers - Kwanza and - Kubangu - from the south. The west of the region is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea; the northern border of the region coincides with state border Republic of Chad. The countries of Central Africa are located in the equatorial and subequatorial regions, which are humid and hot.
Region richest in water resources: high-water river Congo, small rivers Ogowe, Sanaga, Kwanza, Kwilu and others. Vegetation is represented dense forests in the center of the region and small strips of savannas in the north and south.
The Central African region includes nine countries: Congo, Angola, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad, Cameroon, Sao Tome and Principe, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon. Interestingly, two states with the same name have different shapes government structure. Sao Tome and Principe is located on an island in the Atlantic Ocean.
Cameroon, whose coordinates are close to the West African region, is sometimes classified as a West African country.
The uniqueness of Central Africa
Active European penetration into the territory of tropical Central Africa began in the 18th century, when the desire of Europeans to own new territories was especially great. The study of equatorial Africa was facilitated by the discovery of the mouth of the Congo River, along which shipping trips were made deep into the continent. Information about the ancient peoples who inhabited the places where they are located modern countries Central Africa, very few. Their descendants are known - the Hausa, Yoruba, Athara, Bantu, and Oromo peoples. The predominant indigenous race of this territory is Negroid. In the tropics of the Uele and Congo basins there lives a special race - the pygmies.
Brief descriptions of some states
The Central African Republic is a country located in territory that was long unknown to Europeans due to its location inland. Deciphering ancient Egyptian inscriptions indicates the existence of small people, presumably pygmies, in this territory. The land of the Central African Republic remembers the times of slavery, which ended only in the middle of the 20th century. Now it is a republic with more than five million people. The country is home to several large national parks, home to giraffes, hippos, forest elephants, ostriches, several hundred species of birds and other animals.
The most big state Africa is Democratic Republic Congo. The population of Congo is about 77 million people. It is also one of the richest states in terms of natural reserves. The countryside of the Republic is so vast that it accounts for about 6% of the world's rain forests.
The People's Republic of the Congo is located in western Africa, washed by the Atlantic Ocean. The coastline is approximately 170 km. A significant part of the territory is occupied by the Congo Basin - a swampy area. The toponym "Congo" (which means "hunters") is very common on the African continent: the two states of Congo, the Congo River, the Congo people and language, and other lesser-known points on the map of Africa are named so.
Country with interesting history- Angola, for many centuries, sent ships with slaves to South America. Modern Angola is a major exporter of fruits, sugar cane, and coffee.
The territory of Cameroon has an exceptional topography: almost the entire country is located on the highlands. Here is Cameroon - active volcano and the highest point in the country.
Far from being the largest, it is one of the most developed and richest states in Africa. The country's nature - lagoons and estuaries - is beautiful and poetic.
Most northern country Central Africa is Chad. The nature of this state is very different from that of other Central African countries. There are no forests here; on the plains of the country there are sandy deserts and savannas.
Africa is a part of the world with an area of 30.3 million km 2 with islands, this is the second place after Eurasia, 6% of the entire surface of our planet and 20% of the land.
Geographical position
Africa is located in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres (most of it), a small part in the Southern and Western. Like all large fragments ancient continent Gondwana has a massive outline, with no large peninsulas or deep bays. The length of the continent from north to south is 8 thousand km, from west to east - 7.5 thousand km. In the north it is washed by waters Mediterranean Sea, in the northeast by the Red Sea, in the southeast by the Indian Ocean, in the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Africa is separated from Asia by the Suez Canal, and from Europe by the Strait of Gibraltar.
Main geographical characteristics
Africa lies on an ancient platform, which causes its flat surface, which in some places is dissected by deep river valleys. On the coast of the mainland there are small lowlands, the northwest is the location of the Atlas Mountains, the northern part, almost entirely occupied by the Sahara Desert, is the Ahaggar and Tibetsi highlands, the east is the Ethiopian Highlands, the southeast is the East African Plateau, the extreme south is the Cape and Drakensberg mountains The highest point in Africa is the Kilimanjaro volcano (5895 m, Masai plateau), the lowest is 157 meters below ocean level in Lake Assal. Along the Red Sea, in the Ethiopian Highlands and to the mouth of the Zambezi River, the largest fault in the world stretches earth's crust, which is characterized by frequent seismic activity.
The following rivers flow through Africa: Congo (Central Africa), Niger (West Africa), Limpopo, Orange, Zambezi ( South Africa), as well as one of the deepest and longest rivers in the world - the Nile (6852 km), flowing from south to north (its sources are on the East African Plateau, and it flows, forming a delta, into the Mediterranean Sea). Rivers are characterized by high water content only in equatorial belt, thanks to the fallout there large quantity precipitation, most of them differ high speed currents, have many rapids and waterfalls. In lithospheric faults filled with water, lakes were formed - Nyasa, Tanganyika, the largest freshwater lake in Africa and the second largest lake in area after Lake Superior ( North America) - Victoria (its area is 68.8 thousand km 2, length 337 km, max depth - 83 m), the largest salty closed lake - Chad (its area is 1.35 thousand km 2, located on the southern outskirts the greatest desert Saharan world).
Due to Africa's location between two tropical zones, it is characterized by high total indicators solar radiation, which gives the right to call Africa the hottest continent on Earth (the highest temperature on our planet was recorded in 1922 in Al-Aziziya (Libya) - +58 C 0 in the shade).
In Africa there are such natural zones as evergreen equatorial forests(coast of the Gulf of Guinea, Congo basin), in the north and south turning into mixed deciduous-evergreen forests, then there is a natural zone of savannas and woodlands, spreading to Sudan, East and South Africa, in the north and south of Africa savannas give way to semi-deserts and deserts (Sahara , Kalahari. In the south-eastern part of Africa there is a small zone of mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains - a zone of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs. Natural areas mountains and plateaus are subject to the laws of altitudinal zonation.
African countries
The territory of Africa is divided between 62 countries, 54 are independent, sovereign states, 10 dependent territories, belonging to Spain, Portugal, Great Britain and France, the rest are unrecognized, self-proclaimed states - Galmudug, Puntland, Somaliland, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). For a long time, Asian countries were foreign colonies of various European countries and only by the middle of the last century gained independence. Depending on the geographical location Africa is divided into five regions: Northern, Central, Western, Eastern and Southern Africa.
List of African countries
Nature
Mountains and plains of Africa
Most of the African continent is plain. Available mountain systems, highlands and plateaus. They are presented:
- the Atlas Mountains in the northwestern part of the continent;
- the Tibesti and Ahaggar highlands in the Sahara Desert;
- Ethiopian Highlands in the eastern part of the mainland;
- Drakensberg Mountains in the south.
The most high point country is the Kilimanjaro volcano, 5,895 m high, belonging to the East African Plateau in the southeastern part of the continent...
Deserts and savannas
The largest desert zone The African continent is located in the northern part. This is the Sahara Desert. On the southwest side of the continent is another smaller desert, the Namib, and from there into the continent to the east there is the Kalahari Desert.
The savannah territory occupies the bulk of Central Africa. In area it is much larger than the northern and southern parts of the mainland. The territory is characterized by the presence of pastures typical of savannas, low shrubs and trees. The height of herbaceous vegetation varies depending on the amount of precipitation. These can be practically desert savannas or tall grasses, with a grass cover from 1 to 5 m in height...
Rivers
The longest river in the world, the Nile, is located on the African continent. The direction of its flow is from south to north.
In the list of large water systems mainland, Limpopo, Zambezi and Orange River, as well as the Congo, which flows through Central Africa.
On the Zambezi River is the famous Victoria Falls, 120 meters high and 1,800 meters wide...
Lakes
On the list large lakes On the African continent there is Lake Victoria, which is the second largest freshwater body of water in the world. Its depth reaches 80 m, and its area is 68,000 square km. Two more large lakes of the continent: Tanganyika and Nyasa. They are located in faults of lithospheric plates.
There is Lake Chad in Africa, which is one of the world's largest endorheic relict lakes that have no connection with the world's oceans...
Seas and oceans
The African continent is washed by the waters of two oceans: the Indian and the Atlantic. Also off its shores are the Red and Mediterranean Seas. From the outside Atlantic Ocean in the southwestern part the waters form the deep Gulf of Guinea.
Despite the location of the African continent coastal waters cool. This is influenced by the cold currents of the Atlantic Ocean: the Canary in the north and the Bengal in the southwest. From the outside Indian Ocean The currents are warm. The largest are Mozambique, in northern waters, and Agulhas, in southern...
Forests of Africa
Forests make up a little more than a quarter of the entire territory of the African continent. Here are located subtropical forests, growing on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains and valleys of the ridge. Here you can find holm oak, pistachio, strawberry trees, etc. They grow high in the mountains conifers, represented by Aleppo pine, Atlas cedar, juniper and other types of trees.
Closer to the coast there are forests of cork oak, evergreens are common in tropical areas equatorial plants, such as mahogany, sandalwood, ebony, etc...
Nature, plants and animals of Africa
The vegetation of equatorial forests is diverse; about 1000 species grow here various types trees: ficus, ceiba, wine tree, oil palm, wine palm, banana palm, tree ferns, sandalwood, mahogany, rubber trees, Liberian coffee tree, etc. Many species of animals, rodents, birds and insects live here, living directly on the trees. On the ground live: brush-eared pigs, leopards, African deer - a relative of the okapi giraffe, large apes- gorillas...
40% of Africa's territory is occupied by savannas, which are huge steppe areas covered with herbs, low, thorny bushes, milkweed, and separately standing trees(tree-like acacias, baobabs).
Here we see the most huge cluster such large animals as: rhinoceros, giraffe, elephant, hippopotamus, zebra, buffalo, hyena, lion, leopard, cheetah, jackal, crocodile, hyena dog. The most numerous animals of the savannah are herbivores such as: hartebeest (antelope family), giraffe, impala or black-toed antelope, different kinds gazelles (Thomson's, Grant's), blue wildebeest, and in some places rare jumping antelopes - springboks - are also found.
The vegetation of deserts and semi-deserts is characterized by poverty and unpretentiousness; these are small thorny bushes and separately growing tufts of herbs. The oases are home to the unique Erg Chebbi date palm, as well as plants that are resistant to drought conditions and salt formation. IN Namib Desert grow unique plants velvicchia and nara, the fruits of which feed on porcupines, elephants and other desert animals.
Animals here include various species of antelopes and gazelles, adapted to the hot climate and capable of traveling vast distances in search of food, many species of rodents, snakes, and turtles. Lizards. Among the mammals: spotted hyena, common jackal, maned sheep, Cape hare, Ethiopian hedgehog, Dorcas gazelle, saber-horned antelope, Anubis baboon, wild Nubian ass, cheetah, jackal, fox, mouflon, there are resident and migratory birds.
Climatic conditions
Seasons, weather and climate of African countries
The central part of Africa, through which the equator line passes, is located in the region low pressure and receives sufficient moisture, the territories north and south of the equator are in the subequatorial climate zone, this is a zone of seasonal (monsoon) moisture and arid desert climate. The far north and south are in the subtropical climate zone, the south receives precipitation brought by air masses from the Indian Ocean, the Kalahari Desert is located here, the north receives minimal precipitation due to the formation of the region high pressure and features of the movement of trade winds, largest desert world - the Sahara, where the amount of precipitation is minimal, in some areas it does not fall at all...
Resources
Natural Resources of Africa
By reserves water resources Africa is considered one of the least affluent continents in the world. The average annual volume of water is only sufficient to satisfy primary needs, but this does not apply to all regions.
Land resources are represented by large areas with fertile lands. Only 20% of all possible lands are cultivated. The reason for this is the lack of adequate water volume, soil erosion, etc.
African forests are a source of timber, including valuable species. The countries in which they grow, export raw materials. Resources are being used unwisely and ecosystems are being destroyed little by little.
In the depths of Africa there are deposits of minerals. Among those sent for export: gold, diamonds, uranium, phosphorus, manganese ores. There are significant reserves of oil and natural gas.
Energy-intensive resources are widely available on the continent, but they are not used due to the lack of proper investment...
Among the developed industrial sectors of the countries of the African continent, the following can be noted:
- mining industry, shipping mineral raw materials and fuel for export;
- the oil refining industry, distributed mainly in South Africa and North Africa;
- chemical industry, specializing in the production of mineral fertilizers;
- as well as the metallurgical and engineering industries.
The main agricultural products are cocoa beans, coffee, corn, rice and wheat. Oil palm is grown in tropical regions of Africa.
Fishing is poorly developed and accounts for only 1-2% of the total agricultural output. Livestock production indicators are also not high and the reason for this is the infection of livestock by tsetse flies...
Culture
Peoples of Africa: culture and traditions
On territory 62 African countries There are about 8,000 peoples and ethnic groups, totaling about 1.1 billion people. Africa is considered the cradle and ancestral home of human civilization, it was here that the remains of ancient primates (hominids) were found, which, according to scientists, are considered the ancestors of humans.
Most peoples in Africa can number several thousand people or several hundred living in one or two villages. 90% of the population are representatives of 120 nations, their number is more than 1 million people, 2/3 of them are peoples with a population of more than 5 million people, 1/3 are peoples with a population of more than 10 million people (this is 50% of the total population of Africa) - Arabs , Hausa, Fulbe, Yoruba, Igbo, Amhara, Oromo, Rwanda, Malagasy, Zulu...
There are two historical and ethnographic provinces: North African (the predominance of the Indo-European race) and Tropical African (the majority of the population is Negroid race), it is divided into such areas as:
- West Africa. Peoples speaking the Mande languages (Susu, Maninka, Mende, Vai), Chadian (Hausa), Nilo-Saharan (Songai, Kanuri, Tubu, Zaghawa, Mawa, etc.), Niger-Congo languages (Yoruba, Igbo, Bini, Nupe, Gbari, Igala and Idoma, Ibibio, Efik, Kambari, Birom and Jukun, etc.);
- Equatorial Africa . Inhabited by Buanto-speaking peoples: Duala, Fang, Bubi (Fernandans), Mpongwe, Teke, Mboshi, Ngala, Como, Mongo, Tetela, Cuba, Kongo, Ambundu, Ovimbundu, Chokwe, Luena, Tonga, Pygmies, etc.;
- South Africa. Rebellious peoples and speakers of Khoisani languages: Bushmen and Hottentots;
- East Africa . Bantu, Nilotes and Sudanese people groups;
- Northeast Africa. Peoples speaking Ethio-Semitic (Amhara, Tigre, Tigra), Cushitic (Oromo, Somali, Sidamo, Agaw, Afar, Konso, etc.) and Omotian languages (Ometo, Gimirra, etc.);
- Madagascar. Malagasy and Creoles.
In the North African province, the main peoples are considered to be Arabs and Berbers, belonging to the southern European minor race, mainly professing Sunni Islam. There is also an ethno-religious group of Copts, who are direct descendants of the Ancient Egyptians, they are Monophysite Christians.
Central Africa is one of the regions Africa , located in the equatorial and subequatorial zone. It covers the wide valley of the Congo River, in the western part it adjoins the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea, in the north it includes the Azande plateau, in the south - the Lunda plateau and the adjacent plateaus of Angola. The eastern border of Central Africa is the East African Rift System.
The basis of the relief of Central Africa is the vast flat depression of the Congo River, which occupies the entire center of the region. To the north, the Congo Basin is surrounded by the Banda Rise and the South Guinea Rise, to the west by the Lunda-Katanga, and to the south by the Angola Plateau. By by and large The relief of Central Africa is calm, without any sharp fluctuations in altitude. The exception is the northwestern outskirts of the region, where fragmented and rugged terrain predominates; it is there, at the site of a large tectonic fault, that the highest (4070 m) is located. active volcano in the world - Cameroon.
The climate in the countries of Central Africa is equatorial and subequatorial. It's quite hot and humid here. Formation so humid climate the region is obliged air masses Atlantic Ocean. The air temperature is always high throughout the year; the only cool places are the hills. Average temperatures in the Congo Valley at the most warm month vary from +25 to +28 degrees, and at the coldest from +23 to +25 0 C. winter time the temperature sometimes drops to +15 0 C. Central Africa is one of the few regions of the continent where a decent amount of precipitation falls per year: in the equatorial zone it averages 1500-2000 mm or more, in the coastal zone of the Gulf of Guinea - up to 3000 mm , and in some places even more. It is in Central Africa that the most damp place mainland - the slopes of the Cameroon volcano
The main form of government is a republic
Dualistic Monarchy
Vital level centrally- African population remained one of the lowest in Africa.
In Central Africa, the most numerous peoples are: Yoruba, Oromo, Athara, Hausa, Bantu. IN rural areas, where approximately 56% of the population lives - official language countries - French - is poorly understood. Most people speak Sango, the language of a small group of the Ubangi people who live on the Ubangi River. But every nation also has its own language.
Particularly in the north and northeast of the country, Arabic and Hausa can be heard. From the north came the Muslim faith, which is practiced by approximately 15% of the population. Christian churches They carry out a lot of missionary work in the country, so that currently approximately 50% of the population professes Christianity.
The capital Bangui is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of the Central African Republic. Most of the population adheres to animistic religions, according to which fertility and burial rituals, as well as totemic cults of ancestors, are observed.
There are also oil resources that have been discovered in the coastal zones of Angola. Such deposits are significant, estimated at 10 million tons per year for each country. There are also sources of natural gas.
Significant reserves in central Africa and mineral raw materials:
metal ores;
copper ores;
manganese;
Zaire is home to an area that supplies 70% of all industrial diamonds worldwide.
Agriculture gives 55% of GDP. In the north of the country, sorghum (42.8 thousand tons) and millet are grown, in the south - corn (110 thousand tons), cassava (563 thousand tons), yams (350 thousand tons) and rice (29.7 thousand . T). Bananas and coffee are grown. The main commercial crops are cotton and coffee. They cultivate cassava, millet, sorghum, rice, and peanuts. Hevea collection. Blank valuable wood. Animal husbandry. River fishing.
Industry in the Central African Republic is engaged in the processing of agricultural raw materials. There are oil mills, sawmills, cotton gins, etc. Diamonds are mined in the north, but their reserves are being depleted. IN southern regions There are small gold mines.
Industry provides 20% of GDP. Diamond and gold mining is underway, but gold production is declining. There is a uranium ore deposit near Bakuma, but it is not being developed. The manufacturing industry is mainly represented by food and light industry enterprises - production of food, beer, clothing, building materials. Electricity production 102 million kWh (1995).
Republic with its rich fauna and colorful folklore national park Janga-Sanga, where you can meet the pygmies and trust guides from among them who know the habits of wild animals well, can offer places to stay and opportunities for ecotourism. Outside the reserves, big game hunters, who outnumber ecotourists, are offered safaris for wild animals that are not protected by law.
The colonialists left the Central African countries a legacy of a backward economy; only Zaire and Zambia had non-ferrous metallurgy. Behind last years independence was created here full cycle industries, from ore mining to smelting high-quality metals. The harvesting of tropical timber (Gabon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea) is also of great export importance. Agriculture specializes in the cultivation of coffee and cocoa, pyrethrum, tea, tobacco and rubber, cotton and peanuts, bananas and fruits.
Tropical climatic zones are located in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, between subequatorial and subtropical zones. Their characteristic feature is the predominance of trade wind circulation, which contributes to the formation of a dry and hot climate. The natural zones of the tropical zone are represented by tropical rainforests, savannas, deserts and semi-deserts.
Description of tropical climate
Climate tropical latitudes distinguished by clear sunny weather, which almost always reigns throughout the year. The air temperature depends on how high the sun rises above the horizon. In the hot season, this figure can sometimes reach 45-50 degrees Celsius. In winter, the air temperature drops sharply, sometimes to negative levels.
Temperature fluctuations are also quite noticeable during the day, when the heat of the day gives way to pleasant evening coolness and severe cold as night falls.
In the tropics there is very little precipitation, but it evaporates quickly in hot climates. These latitudes are greatly influenced by the trade winds.
Natural zones of the hot zone
In the tropical zone there are areas of humid tropical forests, savannas and woodlands, tropical deserts and semi-deserts.
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- Tropical rain forests
This natural complex situated on eastern coasts continents. Dense thickets of humid forests are common in the West Indies, Indochina, Australia, Madagascar, and the islands of Oceania.
Rice. 1. Dense tropical rainforests
South and north of the wet forest areas There are variably humid forests, which differ from the first ones in that with the arrival of winter, most trees shed their leaves.
- Savannas and woodlands
Forest zones gradually turn into savannas - vast flat areas covered with grasses and cereals. They meet here and there small groves drought-resistant tree species. The fauna of the savannas is incredibly diverse. Large and small predators, hoofed mammals, a huge number of rodents, reptiles and insects.
Rice. 2. Savannas and woodlands
- Tropical deserts and semi-deserts
This natural zone covers most of the continents. Being in the power of the high atmospheric pressure, it receives little rainfall. In deserts, the air warms up so much that rain often evaporates before reaching the ground.
Tropical deserts are dominated by strong winds and the level of solar radiation is very high. Groundwater lies on great depth and often turn out to be overly salty.
In tropical desert conditions, only those few plants and animals survive that, in the course of evolution, have learned for a long time do without moisture and find shelter from the scorching heat.
The largest tropical desert on the planet is the Sahara, located in Africa. It occupies a huge territory - about 9 million square meters. km., and consists of five deserts that differ in microclimate, topography and ecosystem.