Namib Desert, the oldest desert in the world, lies along southern Africa’s west coast, mainly within Namibia. The desert covers more than 31,200 square miles (80,900 square kilometers). It extends from the Orange River in the south to Angola in the north. The Atlantic Ocean is the western limit. The steep slopes known as the Namibian escarpment make up the eastern edge.
The desert has some of the highest sand dunes in the world. Some of them rise to more than 1,300 feet (400 meters). The Skeleton Coast, which forms part of the northern region, received its name because of the large number of shipwrecks that occurred there.
The Namib Desert has a harsh climate. Mists and fog are frequent, but little rain falls. The coastal strip receives less than 3/4 inch (2 centimeters) of rain a year.
The main towns are Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Luderitz, and Oranjemund. Diamonds were discovered in 1904, and diamonds are still mined on the beaches. But former diamond settlements, such as Kolmanskop and Elizabeth Bay, are now ghost towns being covered by shifting sands.
