How many countries does the Sahara Desert cross?

Question

I've read somewhere it crosses 13 countries and 11 somewhere else... which one is it, and which countries are they?

Answer 1

Eleven. They are Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya.

You'll see a nice picture here at the first site below (the grey area, above the green). Comparing that against a map (second site) you'll see the country name. (I've listed them clockwise, starting at Egypt.)

Some people consider the Sahara to run a little bit farther southeast, into Eritrea and Somalia. (see 3rd site.)

Answer 2

main biggest countries: Western Sahara, Niger, Mauritania, Morocco, Mali, Chad , Sudan , Libya. Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria
11 countries

However Senegal and the Gambia have big desert areas. and Eritrea is just near Sudan, and wtih a lot of desert.
13 countries