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Desertification#Areas affected says that the Sahara has expanded 250 km southward since 1900, and the end result is a further 6000 km² of desert. I find this hard to believe (the Sahara would have to be 24 km wide), but the source mentions both numbers in a single sentence. Problem is, it's in French, which I don't understand, and I don't want to rely on Google Translate. So...does the source really say that 6000 km² of desert has been created by the Sahara expanding south by 250 km? Nyttend ( talk) 01:50, 25 January 2018 (UTC)
Two points. First, it doesn't say "since 1900", it sais "depuis les années 1900", which is "since the 1900s". Second, it doesn't say 6000 km². Although it uses the word "superficie", meaning "area", it says 6000 km. This supports the interpretation that the number actually refers to the length of the desert's southern boundary and the article is badly written. -- 70.29.13.251 ( talk) 10:50, 25 January 2018 (UTC)
The Ebb and Flow of the Sahara NYT Published: July 23, 1991 is likely a better source. The measurement of area is clear with the 6000 km bit ... No desert can move south 4000 miles, and the claim therefore must apply to length of the Sahara ... which is about 5,000 km. The 250 km bit is dubious - as the NYT article indicates the issue is one of "land degradation" and not "desertification" with the edges moving by well over a hundred miles north and south in a short period of time. Collect ( talk) 15:05, 27 January 2018 (UTC)
Language desk | ||
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< January 24 | << Dec | January | Feb >> | January 26 > |
Welcome to the Wikipedia Language Reference Desk Archives |
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The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages. |
Desertification#Areas affected says that the Sahara has expanded 250 km southward since 1900, and the end result is a further 6000 km² of desert. I find this hard to believe (the Sahara would have to be 24 km wide), but the source mentions both numbers in a single sentence. Problem is, it's in French, which I don't understand, and I don't want to rely on Google Translate. So...does the source really say that 6000 km² of desert has been created by the Sahara expanding south by 250 km? Nyttend ( talk) 01:50, 25 January 2018 (UTC)
Two points. First, it doesn't say "since 1900", it sais "depuis les années 1900", which is "since the 1900s". Second, it doesn't say 6000 km². Although it uses the word "superficie", meaning "area", it says 6000 km. This supports the interpretation that the number actually refers to the length of the desert's southern boundary and the article is badly written. -- 70.29.13.251 ( talk) 10:50, 25 January 2018 (UTC)
The Ebb and Flow of the Sahara NYT Published: July 23, 1991 is likely a better source. The measurement of area is clear with the 6000 km bit ... No desert can move south 4000 miles, and the claim therefore must apply to length of the Sahara ... which is about 5,000 km. The 250 km bit is dubious - as the NYT article indicates the issue is one of "land degradation" and not "desertification" with the edges moving by well over a hundred miles north and south in a short period of time. Collect ( talk) 15:05, 27 January 2018 (UTC)