Ancient Waters, Unique Landscapes

Above the surface: NSAS countries and peoples

The topography of the surface area above the NSAS mainly consists of extensive flat-topped plateaux and plains, as well as some rugged mountains up to 3,000 m high in southern and eastern areas.

The NSAS lies beneath parts of the four northeast African countries of Chad, Egypt, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (Libya), and Sudan covering some two million sq km of land -- 20 times the area of North America’s Great Lakes.

Areas above the NSAS in each country share similar characteristics including extremely arid climates (with some semi-arid areas in the north and south), scarce surface water resources, low irregular rainfall, persistent drought, few alternative freshwater sources, and fragile ecosystems. Lands in these areas are also highly subject to land degradation and desertification.

Groundwater is a primary source of water for people living in and near to the NSAS. The total population in the area encompassing the NSAS is estimated at 762 000 with 284 960 in Sudan (37%), 219,090 in Libya (29%), 184,770 in Egypt (24%) and 73, 180 in Chad (10%). For many, especially those in remote areas, getting access to clean water is a key daily issue for their livelihoods.

The many peoples of the NSAS present a wide variety of histories and cultures, in some cases binding groups across countries more than within countries themselves. For example, northern areas tend to be populated more by Muslim, Arab-speaking peoples in contrast to a mix of Arabic, Muslim, Christian and animistic tribal communities living in southern parts of the NSAS.

‘Nubia’ is the region in the south of Egypt along the Nile and in northern Sudan. In ancient times it was an independent kingdom. Today’s ‘Nubians’ are an ethnic group who descended from the ancient Nubians. Prehistoric tools discovered in Nubia date to circa 65,000 B.C., found along the Nile Valley.