Eighteen interconnected lakes in the hyper arid Ennedi region of the Sahara desert. There are two groupings. Ounianga Kebir comprises four lakes, the largest of which is the highly saline Yoa which covers an area of 358 ha and is 27 m deep. Its highly saline waters only sustain algae and some microorganisms. The second group, Ounianga Serir, comprises fourteen lakes separated by sand dunes. With high quality freshwater, some of these lakes are home to aquatic fauna, particularly fish.
The sandstone Ennedi Massif, in the northeast of the country, has been sculpted over time by water and wind erosion into a plateau featuring canyons and valleys that present a spectacular landscape marked by cliffs, natural arches and pitons. Thousands of images have been painted and carved into the rock surface of caves, canyons and shelters, presenting one of the largest ensembles of rock art in the Sahara.
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Last Updated: July 1, 2019