The Sahara covers about 9.2 million sq km of North Africa - the largest hot desert on Earth. Orbit its rippled dune sea rolling toward a rocky hamada plain, and toggle between the blazing day and the near-freezing desert night.
Published figures: about 9.2 million sq km, roughly 4,800 km east to west and 1,800 km north to south; highest point Emi Koussi at about 3,415 m; daytime highs above 50C with winter nights that can drop below freezing.
Drag to orbit and scroll or pinch to zoom. Everything renders on your device with WebGL.
Sahara Desert 3D Explorer
This browser explorer shows the Sahara as a rolling relief: wind-formed dune ridges rippling in long bands over a rocky hamada plain, with a low sun that can swing from a scorching day to a near-freezing desert night.
The Sahara spans about 9.2 million square kilometers of North Africa - roughly the size of the United States - stretching about 4,800 km east to west and 1,800 km north to south across 11 countries. Dune seas called ergs cover only about a quarter of it; the rest is rocky hamada plateau and gravel reg plains. Its highest point, Emi Koussi in Chad, is a shield volcano rising to about 3,415 m. Most of the interior gets less than 25 mm of rain a year, yet daytime highs can pass 50C while winter nights can fall below freezing.
- Toggle Day/Night to see the extreme desert temperature swing
- Toggle dune ridge accents to see the wind-formed erg bands
- Read area, length, elevation, and temperature figures in the panel
- See the dune sea (erg) rolling toward the rocky hamada plain
- Drag to orbit, scroll or pinch to zoom
- Runs fully in the browser with the vendored three.js engine - no account, no upload
| Figure | Published value |
|---|---|
| Area | about 9.2 million sq km (3.6 million sq mi) - the largest hot desert on Earth |
| East-west length | about 4,800 km (3,000 miles) |
| North-south length | about 1,800 km (1,100 miles) |
| Highest point | Emi Koussi, Chad - about 3,415 m (11,204 ft) |
| Daytime high | can exceed 50C (122F) in summer |
| Nighttime low | can drop below freezing in winter, especially at elevation |
| Rainfall | under 25 mm (1 inch) a year across most of the interior |
For more of Earth's extremes, open the Huacachina Oasis 3D Explorer (a lagoon ringed by dunes) or the Mount Kilimanjaro 3D Explorer (Africa's highest peak).
Everything renders on your device with WebGL. The 3D engine loads once (about 0.7 MB) and is cached.
This is an educational approximation - the dune ridges, plateau relief, and lighting swing are schematic teaching cues, not survey topography.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is the Sahara Desert?
About 9.2 million sq km (3.6 million sq mi) - roughly the size of the United States - making it the largest hot desert on Earth.
What is the highest point in the Sahara?
Emi Koussi, a shield volcano in Chad, at about 3,415 m (11,204 ft).
How hot does the Sahara get?
Daytime highs can exceed 50C (122F) in summer; because sand and rock lose heat fast after dark, winter nights can drop below freezing.
Is the whole Sahara covered in sand dunes?
No. Dune seas (ergs) cover only about a quarter of the Sahara; most of the rest is rocky hamada plateau and gravel reg plains.
How much rain does the Sahara get?
Under 25 mm (1 inch) a year across most of the interior, among the lowest rainfall totals on Earth.
Is this a geological simulation?
No. It is an educational explorer using published figures - the dune ridges and plateau relief are schematic teaching cues.