Desertification in Oltenia

Desertification in Oltenia affects parts of the Walachian Plain, in the Romanian region of Oltenia covering the area between the city of Calafat and the town of Dăbuleni, spanning an area of about 80,000 hectares (200,000 acres), or 6% of Dolj County.[1]

Labelled by the press as the Oltenian Sahara (Romanian: Sahara Olteniei),[1] the sandy areas in the region have extended because of the deforestation that occurred in the 1960s. Consequently, due to the sudden desertification in the area, the name "Oltenian Sahara" has quickly caught on among the locals. Dăbuleni has likewise gained the nickname the "capital" of the Oltenian Sahara and it is the only place in Europe where an official sand museum exists. Despite some modest attempts to prevent further desertification in the area, the process is still ongoing at a rate of 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) a year and is unlikely to stop unless more drastic measures are taken.[2]

References
  1. "Sahara Olteniei". www.ecomagazin.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  2. "Cum arată astăzi Sahara Olteniei, deșertul apărut pe 100.000 de hectare în sudul României".


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