Sahelian

Sahelian is an adjective used for things pertaining to the Sahel, a semi-arid belt of Africa that lies between the Sahara to the north and the Sudanian savanna to the south. The name derives from Arabic and is often linked to the idea of a shore or edge, reflecting its position at the desert’s boundary.

Geographically, the Sahel runs across parts of West and Central Africa, from the Atlantic coast in Senegal and Mauritania to the Red Sea region in Sudan. The climate is hot and dry, with a brief wet season. Rainfall is highly variable and typically sparse, around a few hundred millimeters annually, which makes the region vulnerable to drought and desertification.

The Sahel is ethnically and culturally diverse. It hosts groups such as the Fulani, Hausa, Tuareg, Songhai, Kanuri, and Mossi, among others. Livelihoods traditionally combine nomadic herding with farming of millet and sorghum; Islam is the dominant religion in most areas. The region has a long history of trans-Saharan trade and was part of historic empires including Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.

Linguistically, there is no single Sahelian language. The area encompasses many languages from several families, with Hausa and Songhai languages among the most widely spoken.

Contemporary issues in the Sahel include climate variability and desertification, rapid population growth, governance challenges, and security concerns. International and regional efforts aim to improve resilience, food security, water management, and sustainable development across the Sahelian belt.