Sahel

:See also Sahel, Tunisia, a region of eastern Tunisia.

Environment

About 12,500 years ago, the Sahel was a part of the Saharan desert, and was covered in sand dunes which have shaped the landscape that we see today. The Sahel receives 150-500 mm (6-20 in) of rainfall a year, primarily in the monsoon season. The rainfall is characterized by year to year and decadal variability. The two largest determinants of land productivity in the Sahel are water and micro-nutrients, mostly nitrogen and phosphate.

Related Topics:
Monsoon - Micro-nutrients - Nitrogen - Phosphate

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There is a strong correlation between rainfall in the Sahel and intense hurricane activity in the Atlantic.

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