As a result, soil is left dried out and vulnerable to desertification. The Sahel region is one of the most susceptible areas to desertification in the world. This map shows how areas south of the Sahara are being made more subject to desertification through overgrazing. In fact, recent research has shown that the Sahara Desert is expanding southward. This map shows areas affected by deforestation.
Deforestation involves the clearing away of trees and other vegetation in an area.
Many of the economies of Africa have had to clear away land for agriculture. As a result, deforestation has caused degraded soils. Vegetation is essential to pull moisture into the ground. Without vegetation, the soil is eroded and left depleted. This map shows that the now susceptible dry lands are being made more vulnerable to desertification, because they are being stripped of too much vegetation.