The Sahara desert is located in northern Africa and covers around 25% of the continent. At over 3.3 million square miles, it is larger than the contiguous United States. The Tuareg tribe lives in the Sahara and trades caravans of goods like gold, ivory, and salt. Typical meals in the Sahara consist of camel milk with dates or porridge with butter sauce. Oases are important as they provide water to communities in the desert.