Namib Sand Sea

Abstract

The Namib Sand Sea is located in the arid African coast of the South Atlantic, in Namibia. It is the only coastal desert in the world that includes large dune fields, among the biggest in the world, influenced by fog. Fog is the primary source of water in the site, accounting for a unique environment composed of spectacular dune accumulation of all types, with associated landforms such as inselbergs, pediplains, playas, gravel plains, coastal flats, rocky hills, coastal lagoons, and ephemeral rivers. The Namib is an extremely dry desert, but it supports a remarkable diversity of unique plants and animals that have evolved to live in this extraordinarily hostile yet beautiful environment.