How Old Is The Namib Desert?

The Namib Desert is believed to be one of the oldest deserts on Earth caused due to the confluence of the hot and dry air blowing from interior Africa and the cooler air from the Benguela Current in the Atlantic Ocean which leads to the formation of dense clouds of fog in the coastal areas, especially along the famous Skeleton Coast, which provides most of the moisture to the sparse vegetal cover in the region.

The conditions leading to the formation of the Namib Desert are supposed to have been in existence for at least 80 million years as seen from the level of oxidation of iron observed in the desert soil giving the sand a dark blood red to orange color rarely seen anywhere else on Earth; the sand dunes reach a height of a 1000 ft the maximum in deserts around the world. The region is sparsely populated and is home to some unusual plants, animals and insects that have adapted to the arid conditions over the years.