what is sahel

The Sahel is a biogeographic region in Africa that stretches across the southernmost latitudes of North Africa between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea. It is the transition zone between the more humid Sudanian savannas to its south and the drier Sahara to the north. The Sahel has a hot steppe climate and is characterized by constant, intense heat, with an unvarying temperature. The climate is typically hot, sunny, dry, and somewhat windy all year long. The Sahel is one of the worlds most youthful regions, with 64.5% of the population being below 25 years. The region is also endowed with enormous renewable energy potential, and it has more solar energy production capacity than other regions of the world. However, the Sahel is facing deep-rooted challenges, including environmental, political, and security issues that may affect its prosperity and peace. The Sahel region has vast stretches of inhospitable terrain, making it especially difficult to control, and it has become a hunting ground for armed groups, rebels, and jihadists roaming freely between countries. The area has been the scene of some high-profile kidnappings, and the central Sahel is notoriously difficult to control. The Sahel is also experiencing dramatic climate change, and global warming is around 50 percent greater in the region. The population of the G5 Sahel region is expected to more than double to around 170 million by 2050, according to the United Nations.