Hot deserts - Sahara desert

Question 1

What are the 2 development opportunities of Mineral Extraction in the Sahara desert?

Answer 1

• 1/2 of Algeria’s income = oil and gas from Sahara
• Hassi Messaoud oil field employs 40,000 people

Question 2

What are the 2 development opportunities of Solar Energy in the Sahara desert?

Answer 2

• Algeria = solar power plant —> exports energy to Europe via energy cables in Mediterranean
• no GHG (renewable)

Question 3

What are the 4 development opportunities of Agriculture in the Sahara desert?

Answer 3

• crops e.g. dates, figs, fruit
• Egypt population inc. 20 —> 79 million in 25 years
• 13% of Egypt income = agriculture
• agriculture employs 32% of labor force

Question 4

What are the 3 development opportunities of Tourism in the Sahara desert?

Answer 4

• Economic advantage e.g. hotels + restaurants
• Pyramids of Giza + Camel treks
• inc. population = transportation development (roads, paths, motorways)

Question 5

What are the 2 Challenges of Extreme temperature in the Sahara desert?

Answer 5

• 50+ degrees day
• 0 degrees night

Question 6

What are the 4 Challenges of Inaccessibility in the Sahara desert?

Answer 6

• Drill 100m+ for oil/gas in Hassi Messaoud.
• pipelines = 100m+ across Sahara to ports on North African coasts
• workers/food flown into work daily via helicopters
• water supplies have to pumped in via underground aquifers

Question 7

What are the 2 Challenges of Water Supply in the Sahara desert?

Answer 7

• > 250mm rainfall annually
• Salinization- irrigated soil evaporates the water leaving salt which kills/prevents crops growing.

Question 8

What are the 2 Challenges of Sand storms in the Sahara desert?

Answer 8

• damage to solar panels
• 10,300 gallons of water daily to clean