Most of the time there are only minor eruptions, but every few years there are more serious eruptions. The last major eruption of the volcano took place in 2019.
It covers an area of 9.2 million km2 (3.55 million sq mi). It is the largest hot desert in the world.
The desert covers 31% of Africa and 8% of the Earth's land area. Comparing the Sahara to countries, its area is almost identical to that of the United States of America.
