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The Sahel (from Arabic ساحل sahil for shore or border) is the boundary zone in Africa between the Sahara to the north and the more fertile region to the south, known as the Sudan (not to be confused with the country of the same name).

The Sahel is primarily savanna and runs from the Atlantic Ocean to the Horn of Africa. Over the history of Africa the region has been home to some of the most advanced kingdoms benefiting from trade across the desert. Collectively these states are known as the Sahelian kingdoms.

The countries of the Sahel today include Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, NigeriaThe Federal Republic of Nigeria is a country in West Africa. It borders on Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, Niger in the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the south. Major cities include the capital Abuja, the former capital Lagos, Abeokuta, ChadThe Republic of Chad is a country in central Africa that borders Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest and Niger to the west. Jumhuriyat Tashad Republique du Tchad In Detail, SudanAs distinct from the African region of the same name (usually shortened to the Sudan the Republic of the Sudan (or just Sudan is the largest country in Africa, situated in the northeast part of the continent. The capital is Khartoum. It borders Egypt to t, EthiopiaThe Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ityop'iya Amharic ) is a country of northeastern Africa. It has one of the most extensive known histories as an independent nation in the continent. Unique among African countries, the Ethiopian monarchy maintai, EritreaAnother article treats the Greek city of Eretria. The State of Eritrea is a country in northeast Africa. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the east. The northeast of the country has an extensive coastline with the, DjiboutiThe Republic of Djibouti is a country in eastern Africa, located in the Horn of Africa. Djibouti is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the south east. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and t, and SomaliaSomalia ( Somali: Soomaaliya Arabic: As-Sumal , formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic is an African country that exists solely in a de jure capacity. Somalia has no recognized central government authority, national currency, or any other featur. Sahel is also used to refer to the countries of West-Africa.

The Sahel receives 150-500 mm (6-20 in) of rainfall a year, primarily in the monsoonA monsoon is a periodic wind, especially in the Indian Ocean and southern Asia. The word is also used to label the season in which this wind blows southwest in India and adjacent areas that is characterized by very heavy rainfall, and specifically the rai season. The rainfall is characterized by year to year and decadal variability.

There is a strong correlation between rainfall in the Sahel and intense hurricane activity in the Atlantic.

In the 1970s major famine in Sahel lead to the founding of the IFAD.