The Kalahari Desert is a large desert area in southwestern Sub-Saharan Africa extending 900,000 km² (225,000 sq. mi.), covering much of Botswana and parts of Namibia.
The Kalahari Desert was once a much wetter place. The ancient Lake Makgadikgadi dominated the area, covering the Makgadikgadi Pan and other areas, until its final drainage some 10,000 years ago. It have once covered as much as 275,000 km² and was approximately 30 m deep. Parts of the Kalahari receive over 250 mm (9.8") of erratic rainfall annually and are quite well vegetated; it is only truly arid in the southwest with under 175 mm (6.9") of rain annually, making the Kalahari a fossil desert. Summer temperatures in the Kalahari range from 20 to 45°C (68–113°F).It is part of the huge sand basin that reaches from the Orange River up to Angola, in the west to Namibia and in the east to Zimbabwe.
The Kalahari is one of Africa's last wildlife paradises.These inconspicuous little birds, which resemble sparrows, live in huge communal nests with a diametre of up to two metres. At any given time, hundreds of lively little birds are breeding and feeding their youngsters in such a nesting colony.Animals that live in the region include brown hyenas, lions, meerkats, several species of antelope, and many types of birds and reptiles.

However, the moment the rains are gone the Kalahari becomes dry and moody. It can rain very heavily in one day, rain that produces floods that sweep everything while the next day can be as dry as ever.