The Sahara Desert

The Sahara Desert is a hot and dry place. Not many people or animals live in it.
It’s a very large desert in northern Africa, but it has an interesting story.

Scientists say that millions of years ago, it wasn’t a desert.
They say that there were lots of trees and animals there because the weather was wet and the dry season was short.
The temperatures weren't very high, and there was water everywhere because it rained a lot.
Some scientists think that there was a large sea in the Sahara Desert too.

Today parts of ten countries are in the Sahara Desert. Most people there live near the rivers,
and there aren’t many cities in the dry areas.