Which South African desert is protected in part by Tankwa Karoo National Park?

Tankwa Karoo is the South African desert region protected in part by Tankwa Karoo National Park.

The Tankwa Karoo lies in the rain-shadowed interior between the Cederberg Mountains and the Roggeveld escarpment in the Western and Northern Cape provinces. It is one of the driest parts of South Africa, receiving very little annual rainfall. Despite its barren appearance, the region supports specialised succulents, shrubs, reptiles, insects, and other wildlife adapted to arid conditions.

Tankwa Karoo National Park was established to conserve this distinctive landscape of gravel plains, dry riverbeds, and rugged mountains. The area is also known for exceptionally dark night skies. It should not be confused with the much larger Kalahari or the coastal Namib; Tankwa Karoo is a separate inland desert and forms part of the broader Karoo natural region.