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GeographySurprise 4/5Difficulty 2/5Reviewed on September 18, 2026

The Sahara desert is not mostly made of sand, but rather gravel and rock.

Why it is true

Only about 25 percent of the Sahara is covered by sand dunes. Most of its surface is made up of gravel plains, rocky mountains and arid plateaus.

Source: USGS

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