The SAHARA is a Northern African desert that covers an area of 3.5 million square miles, making it the largest hot desert in the world. It stretches across 11 countries, including Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia, and Western SAHARA. The SAHARA is home to a variety of wildlife, including gazelles, jackals, hyenas, and foxes, as well as a number of species of birds, reptiles, and insects.