Where Is The Grand Bara Desert?
The Grand Bara Desert is located in southern Djibouti. It is made up of great regions of sand flats, with scattered, semi-desert, desert grasses, and scrub plants. The Issa Somali occupied this arid core primarily before the French arrived in this desert.
Occurrence Of The Desert
The Grand Bara desert is a remain of the lake beds which dried up to form large arid plains in the middle of Djibouti that distinguished the boundary of the volcanic part from the sedimentary portion. The clay soil created here has poor drainage which causes water to accumulate at the region during the rains. This accumulation of water results in the growth of grasses.
Djibouti has few tarmac roads averaging to 2,900 kilometers. Less than half of these roads are functional during all times of the year. A path of about 40 kilometres long crossing Grand Bara was put up in 1981. This road created a link between the capital of Djibouti and the south.
Natural Balance In The Desert
The Grand Bara is a division of the Ethiopian ecosystem, which is made up of grasses and shrubs. It has big mammals such as the Beira antelope, Dorcas gazelle, soemmerring's gazelle, salt Dik-Dik, and the gerenuk. Beisa Oryx suffered big hunting stress and a few of them only remained. The northern sand gecko, Arnold's leaf-toed gecko, and the Berbera gerbil are very common in this area. The only widespread bird species in this region is the Archers Lark. The Grand Bara desert is the flattest unfertile desert in the entire world. It has no bushes and trees that make it a safe site for an urgent situation landing.
Possible Developments In The Grand Bara Desert
Djibouti ministry of energy has planned the creation of a solar plant Grand Bara desert, which will be 300 MW if it will be successful. This project will cost up to $360 million to construct. This scheme is set to complete 50 MW sections in Grand Bara desert. According to the ministry of energy, the construction is expected to create job opportunities running from about 150 to 200 employment opportunities and 60 permanent ones after the completion of the plan.
Skypower signed a contract in East Africa that was to build up to 200 MW solar PV in capacity. The project would take four years and $440 million to be completed. $11 million will be used in education and training as per the solar company in Canada. The ministry of energy from Djibouti aims at tying together 100% of the energy in the country from the renewable source. However, no specified time is given on when the aim will come to accomplishment. Djibouti energy consumption is at a maximum of 120 MW that the hydroelectric plants have been able to produce. The country’s island covers only 23,200 square kilometres out of over 810,000 number of people.
Climatic Conditions
Plain floods that occurred recently in the region affected the Grand Bara desert. Due to this and other extreme climate conditions, the number of animals that occupied this region reduced.
