ThatQuiz Test Library Take this test now
Sahara Desert - Test
Contributed by: Crawford
  • 1. What is the world's largest hot desert?
A) Gobi Desert
B) Arabian Desert
C) Kalahari Desert
D) Sahara Desert
  • 2. In which continent is the Sahara Desert located?
A) Africa
B) Asia
C) Australia
D) South America
  • 3. Which of the following mountain ranges lies adjacent to the Sahara Desert?
A) Atlas Mountains
B) Andes Mountains
C) Rocky Mountains
D) Himalayas
  • 4. Which country has the largest land area within the Sahara Desert?
A) Libya
B) Egypt
C) Algeria
D) Morocco
  • 5. What is the predominant language spoken by the people living in the Sahara Desert region?
A) French
B) English
C) Arabic
D) Swahili
  • 6. What is the main source of income for many Saharan communities?
A) Fishing
B) Mining
C) Tourism
D) Agriculture
  • 7. What is the traditional headwear worn by Tuareg men in the Sahara Desert called?
A) Tagelmust
B) Turban
C) Fez
D) Sombrero
  • 8. Which of the following animals is commonly found in the Sahara Desert?
A) Polar Bear
B) Penguin
C) Fennec Fox
D) Grizzly Bear
  • 9. What famous river flows through the Sahara Desert, providing sustenance for wildlife and communities?
A) Yangtze River
B) Mississippi River
C) Amazon River
D) Nile River
  • 10. What is the area of the Sahara Desert?
A) 12,000,000 square kilometres
B) 5,000,000 square kilometres
C) 3,600,000 square miles
D) 9,200,000 square kilometres
  • 11. Which desert is larger than the Sahara?
A) Arctic
B) Gobi
C) Kalahari
D) Antarctica
  • 12. Which region does the Sahara exclude due to its fertility?
A) The Nile Valley
B) The Aïr Mountains
C) The Sahel
D) The Mediterranean Sea coast
  • 13. What natural feature marks the southern boundary of the Sahara?
A) The Sahel
B) The Red Sea
C) The Mediterranean Sea
D) The Atlas Mountains
  • 14. How often does the Sahara alternate between desert and savanna grassland?
A) Every 20,000 years
B) Every 26,000 years
C) Every 50,000 years
D) Every 10,000 years
  • 15. What is the highest peak in the Sahara?
A) Aïr Mountains
B) Emi Koussi
C) Tibesti Mountains
D) Ahaggar Mountains
  • 16. Which city is located in Algeria and within the Sahara?
A) Timbuktu
B) Nouakchott
C) Faya-Largeau
D) Ouargla
  • 17. What type of climate characterizes the northern limit of the Sahara?
A) Semi-arid climate
B) Desert climate
C) Tropical savanna climate
D) Mediterranean climate
  • 18. Which plant marks the southern limit of the Sahara according to botanical criteria?
A) Cornulaca monacantha
B) Date palm
C) Espartero
D) Cenchrus biflorus
  • 19. What is the northern limit of the Sahara indicated by in terms of precipitation?
A) The 500 mm annual precipitation isohyet
B) The 150 mm annual precipitation isohyet
C) The 100 mm annual precipitation isohyet
D) The 250 mm annual precipitation isohyet
  • 20. Which of the following is a feature found in the Sahara?
A) Hamada (rocky plateaus)
B) Swamps
C) Rainforests
D) Glaciers
  • 21. What causes the Sahara to alternate between desert and savanna grassland?
A) Precession of Earth's axis
B) Human activities
C) Volcanic activity
D) Tectonic shifts
  • 22. What type of desert feature are ergs?
A) Gravel plains
B) Rocky plateaus
C) Sand seas covered with sand dunes
D) Salt flats
  • 23. Which city is the capital of Mauritania and located in the Sahara?
A) Nouakchott
B) Tamanrasset
C) Timbuktu
D) Agadez
  • 24. What is the southern limit of the Sahara according to climatic criteria?
A) The 150 mm annual precipitation isohyet
B) The 100 mm annual precipitation isohyet
C) The 250 mm annual precipitation isohyet
D) The 500 mm annual precipitation isohyet
  • 25. Which of the following cities is not located in the Sahara?
A) Agadez
B) Tamanrasset
C) Nouakchott
D) Timbuktu
  • 26. What atmospheric phenomenon prevents cloud formation in the Sahara?
A) Frequent thunderstorms
B) Descending, warming air from the upper troposphere
C) High levels of precipitation
D) Rising moist air masses
  • 27. What is the primary source of rain in the Sahara?
A) Local thunderstorms
B) Mediterranean Sea storms
C) Atlantic Ocean currents
D) Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
  • 28. Which air mass primarily affects the Sahara?
A) Continental polar air mass
B) Continental tropical (cT) air mass
C) Maritime tropical air mass
D) Maritime polar air mass
  • 29. What is the effect of the Sahara High during the coolest part of the year?
A) It causes heavy rainfall
B) It dissipates completely
C) It moves to higher latitudes
D) It nearly reaches the ground
  • 30. How does the Sahara's climate affect rainfall?
A) Rainfall is abundant and frequent
B) Rainfall is primarily in winter
C) Rainfall is virtually non-existent due to atmospheric stability
D) Rainfall occurs daily
  • 31. What role does the subtropical ridge play in the Sahara's climate?
A) It brings moist air from the ocean
B) It increases rainfall significantly
C) It has no impact on the climate
D) It causes descending, drying air masses that prevent cloud formation
  • 32. What is the effect of local surface low pressure in the Sahara?
A) It is extremely limited due to upper-level subsidence blocking air ascent
B) It causes frequent rain showers
C) It results in cloud formation
D) It leads to high humidity levels
  • 33. What happens during the summer in the Sahara regarding thermal lows?
A) A strong and well-developed thermal low is noticed near the surface
B) The temperature drops significantly
C) Thermal lows disappear completely
D) Thermal highs are more pronounced
  • 34. What geographical configuration protects the Sahara from rain-bearing systems?
A) Frequent volcanic activity
B) Its location and atmospheric circulation
C) High altitude plateaus
D) Proximity to large lakes
  • 35. What is the annual average direct solar irradiation in the Great Desert?
A) About 1,500 kWh/(m² year)
B) Approximately 3,600 kWh/(m² year)
C) Nearly 4,300 kWh/(m² year)
D) Around 2,800 kWh/(m² year)
  • 36. What is the theoretical maximum sunshine duration recorded in some parts of the Sahara?
A) 82% of daylight hours
B) 3,600 hours per year
C) 2,800 hours per year
D) 4,300 hours per year
  • 37. What is the average high temperature in Salah during July?
A) 45.5 °C (113.9 °F)
B) 41.9 °C (107.4 °F)
C) 43.8 °C (110.8 °F)
D) 46.4 °C (115.5 °F)
  • 38. What is the average daily temperature in the hottest regions of the Sahara year-round?
A) Exceeds 40 °C (104 °F) year-round
B) Around 20 °C (68 °F) everywhere
C) Can approach 30 °C (86 °F)
D) Less than 25 °C (77 °F)
  • 39. What is the highest recorded sand temperature in Port Sudan?
A) 72 °C (161.6 °F)
B) 75 °C (167 °F)
C) 83.5 °C (182.3 °F)
D) 80 °C (176 °F)
  • 40. What influences the frequency of subfreezing winter nights in the Sahara?
A) The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)
B) Lack of vegetation
C) The position of the Sun
D) Relative humidity
  • 41. What is the average high temperature in Adrar during summer?
A) Around 46 °C (114.8 °F)
B) 43.8 °C (110.8 °F)
C) 45.5 °C (113.9 °F)
D) 41.9 °C (107.4 °F)
  • 42. What is the ground temperature recorded in Borkou, northern Chad?
A) 72 °C (161.6 °F)
B) 83.5 °C (182.3 °F)
C) 80 °C (176 °F)
D) 75 °C (167 °F)
  • 43. What is the smallest diurnal temperature variation found in the Sahara?
A) Inland desert areas
B) Northern Mali
C) Southern central part
D) Along the coastal regions
  • 44. Which city in the Sahara has recorded snowfall in December 2016?
A) Agadez
B) Timbuktu
C) Ain Sefra
D) Biskra
  • 45. What percentage of the Sahara receives an annual average rainfall of 5 millimetres or less?
A) About 31%
B) About 17%
C) About 10%
D) About 50%
  • 46. Who first suggested that insolation changes due to Earth's orbit affect monsoon patterns?
A) Albert Einstein introduced this hypothesis.
B) Charles Darwin was the one who proposed it.
C) Rudolf Spitaler proposed this idea in the late nineteenth century.
D) Isaac Newton suggested these orbital effects.
  • 47. During which period was the growth of speleothems detected at Hol-Zakh?
A) When rainwater was available
B) In the Last Glacial Maximum
C) After 115 kya
D) During hyper-arid conditions
  • 48. What climate cell is associated with bringing rain to the tropics?
A) The Jet Stream
B) The Polar Cell
C) The Ferrel Cell
D) The Hadley Cell
  • 49. What was a characteristic of the southern Negev Desert between 185 and 140 kya?
A) Speleothems did not grow, indicating arid conditions
B) It saw significant volcanic activity
C) It became a tropical forest
D) It experienced heavy rainfall
  • 50. What was the climate like in the southern Negev Desert during most of the interglacial period (MIS 5.1)?
A) Moderately dry
B) Arid-to-hyper-arid conditions
C) Wet and lush
D) Stable with no significant change
  • 51. Which ecoregion is home to halophytic plant communities in seasonally flooded saline depressions?
A) The Saharan halophytics
B) The North Saharan steppe and woodlands
C) The West Saharan montane xeric woodlands
D) The Tanezrouft
  • 52. Which ecoregion includes the volcanic highlands of Tassili n'Ajjer?
A) The Sahara desert ecoregion
B) The West Saharan montane xeric woodlands
C) The Tibesti-Jebel Uweinat montane xeric woodlands
D) The South Saharan steppe and woodlands
  • 53. Which ecoregion is known for its hyper-arid conditions with no vegetation?
A) The South Saharan steppe and woodlands
B) The Tanezrouft
C) The North Saharan steppe and woodlands
D) The Sahara desert ecoregion
  • 54. Which ecoregion covers the Tibesti and Jebel Uweinat highlands?
A) The West Saharan montane xeric woodlands
B) The North Saharan steppe and woodlands
C) The Sahara desert ecoregion
D) The Tibesti-Jebel Uweinat montane xeric woodlands
  • 55. Approximately how many species of vascular plants are found in the Saharan flora?
A) 1500
B) 3500
C) 2800
D) 5000
  • 56. Which type of trees in the Sahara store water in their thick stems?
A) Palm trees
B) Balanites trees
C) Cypress trees
D) Acacia trees
  • 57. What is the estimated number of mature Saharan cheetahs remaining?
A) Over 1000
B) About 500
C) Approximately 2000
D) Fewer than 250
  • 58. Which domesticated animal is favored by nomads in the Sahara for its endurance and speed?
A) Dromedary camel
B) Goat
C) Llama
D) Horse
  • 59. Which university reported that Saharan soil may have bio-available iron suitable for fertilizer?
A) Sahara University
B) Harvard University
C) Hacettepe University
D) University of Cairo
  • 60. Which scorpion's venom contains agitoxin and scyllatoxin?
A) Brazilian wandering spider
B) Deathstalker scorpion
C) Black mamba
D) King cobra
  • 61. Which gazelle species can go for a long time without water?
A) Dorcas gazelle
B) Springbok
C) Impala
D) Kudu
  • 62. What adaptation do plants in the Sahara use to prevent water loss by evapotranspiration?
A) Having small thick leaves or needles
B) Growing taller
C) Producing more flowers
D) Developing broad leaves
  • 63. Which large mammals have been greatly reduced by hunting in the Sahara?
A) Bird populations
B) Reptile populations
C) Large mammal populations
D) Insect populations
  • 64. What did the modern laboratory examination of Uan Muhuggiag and Tin Hanakaten child mummies suggest about Central Saharan peoples?
A) They possessed dark skin complexions.
B) Their skin color was similar to contemporary sub-Saharan Africans.
C) They were predominantly of non-African ancestry.
D) They had light skin complexions.
  • 65. Which haplogroup has the highest frequency and distribution across Africa, including supra-Saharan regions?
A) Haplogroup M35
B) Haplogroup E
C) Haplogroup A
D) Haplogroup R
  • 66. Which culture colonized the area after the Kiffian culture disappeared?
A) The Mechta culture
B) The Tenerian culture
C) The Iberomaurusian culture
D) The Capsian culture
  • 67. Who led the archaeological expedition that discovered Gobero in 2000?
A) Zahi Hawass
B) Paul Sereno
C) Howard Carter
D) Antonio Ascenzi
  • 68. What indicates that the triple burial at Gobero was made on a bed of flowers?
A) Pollen residue
B) Floral imprints in clay
C) Dried petals found in the soil
D) Fossilized leaves
  • 69. Where was the well-preserved mummy of a young boy found?
A) Mesa Verde
B) Gobero
C) Uan Muhuggiag
D) Valley of the Kings
  • 70. What was the position of the child's body in the Uan Muhuggiag mummy?
A) Lying flat
B) Standing upright
C) Fetal position
D) Seated
  • 71. What feature was found around the neck of the Uan Muhuggiag mummy?
A) A beaded belt
B) A gold chain
C) A silver bracelet
D) An ostrich eggshell necklace
  • 72. What did the incisions on the Uan Muhuggiag mummy indicate?
A) It was a natural burial.
B) The body was preserved with honey.
C) The body had been initially mummified by evisceration.
D) It underwent embalming with resins.
  • 73. What era marked the beginning of a settled lifestyle with domesticated plants and animals in Nubia?
A) The Paleolithic Era
B) The Neolithic Era
C) The Iron Age
D) The Bronze Age
  • 74. What materials replaced stone objects in predynastic Egypt?
A) Bone implements
B) Metal objects
C) Wooden tools
D) Clay pots
  • 75. When did the Tichitt Tradition begin?
A) 4000 BCE
B) 2200 BCE
C) 200 BCE
D) 1800 BCE
  • 76. Which region is associated with the earliest large-scale, complexly organized society in West Africa?
A) Dhar Tagant
B) Dhar Néma
C) Dhar Tichitt
D) Dhar Walata
  • 77. Which material was used to temper the tuyeres of an iron furnace in Dhar Néma?
A) Tamed pearl millet
B) Copper
C) Gold
D) Silver
  • 78. Which region served as a second regional center for the Tichitt Tradition?
A) Central Sahara
B) Western Sahel
C) Eastern Mauritania
D) Malian Lakes Region, including Tondidarou
  • 79. Which empire developed in the 1st millennium CE after the decline of the Tichitt Tradition?
A) Oyo Empire
B) Songhai Empire
C) Ghana Empire
D) Mali Empire
  • 80. What was a key feature of the Tichitt culture's social structure?
A) Egalitarian society
B) Four-tiered hierarchical social structure
C) Matriarchal leadership
D) Nomadic governance
  • 81. What type of architecture persisted as Faïta Facies ceramics in the Middle Niger region?
A) Stone masonry
B) Rammed earth architecture
C) Brick buildings
D) Wooden structures
  • 82. What was a significant trade item among herders in 4000 BCE?
A) Cattle
B) Spices
C) Salt
D) Silk
  • 83. Which ancient civilization created settlements along the North African coast between 1200 and 800 BCE?
A) Romans
B) Greeks
C) Carthaginians
D) Phoenicians
  • 84. What alphabet is believed to have been based on the Phoenician script and is still used by some Berber groups today?
A) Hieroglyphics
B) Cuneiform
C) Latin
D) Tifinagh
  • 85. Which navigator claimed to have founded settlements along the Atlantic coast of Africa in the 5th century BCE?
A) Eratosthenes
B) Pytheas
C) Hanno
D) Herodotus
  • 86. Which civilization arose around 500 BCE in the Sahara and built an empire by tapping fossil water?
A) Berbers
B) Phoenicians
C) Carthaginians
D) Garamantes
  • 87. Which war in the 17th century led to Arab dominance over Berber tribes in the western Sahara?
A) Fall of Constantinople
B) Battle of Karbala
C) Char Bouba war
D) Siege of Jerusalem
  • 88. Which European power conquered the regency of Algiers from the Ottomans in 1830?
A) Spain
B) France
C) Britain
D) Italy
  • 89. What was the newly raised Méhariste camel corps primarily recruited from?
A) Egyptian soldiers
B) European settlers
C) The Chaamba nomadic tribe
D) The Tuareg clans
  • 90. Which country captured present-day Western Sahara after 1874?
A) France
B) Britain
C) Italy
D) Spain
  • 91. In what year did Italy capture parts of what was to be named Libya from the Ottomans?
A) 1898
B) 1912
C) 1830
D) 1874
  • 92. In what year did Egypt become independent from Britain?
A) 1975
B) 1936
C) 1962
D) 1951
  • 93. Which country withdrew its troops from Egypt in 1954?
A) France
B) Spain
C) Britain
D) Morocco
  • 94. When did Libya achieve independence?
A) 1980
B) 1975
C) 1962
D) 1951
  • 95. In which year did Mauritania withdraw from Western Sahara?
A) 2000
B) 1979
C) 1990
D) 1985
  • 96. Which aquifer system does the Great Man-Made River project utilize?
A) Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System
B) Saharan Desert Aquifer
C) Atlas Mountain Aquifer
D) Mediterranean Coastal Aquifer
  • 97. Which group of people in the Sahara includes the Hassaniya-speaking Sahrawis?
A) Arabized Amaziɣ groups
B) Toubou
C) Fula/Fulani
D) Nubians
  • 98. Which colonial power's language is of little relevance to inter-personal discourse in the Sahara?
A) Spanish
B) English
C) French
D) Arabic
  • 99. Which group is believed to descend from ancient black populations that inhabited the Sahara?
A) Nubians
B) Zaghawa
C) Haratins
D) Tuareg
Created with That Quiz — where test making and test taking are made easy for math and other subject areas.