The Sahel lies immediately south of the Sahara Desert.
The Sahel is a semi-arid belt stretching across Africa from the Atlantic region toward the Red Sea. It forms a transition zone between the Sahara’s hyper-arid conditions to the north and the wetter savannas farther south.
Rainfall in the Sahel is highly seasonal and variable. Communities commonly combine pastoralism, farming and trade, but droughts and irregular rains can place severe pressure on crops, livestock and water supplies. The exact southern and northern boundaries shift depending on the climate measure used.
The Sahel is not simply the southern half of the Sahara. It has its own ecological and social characteristics, including grasses, shrubs and seasonal cultivation. Countries commonly associated with the belt include Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad and Sudan, among others.