[2] The ecoregion covers 1,101,700 square kilometers (425,400 sq mi) in Algeria, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Sudan.

It extends east and west across the continent in a band, forming a transition between the hyper-arid Sahara Desert to the north and the Sahel grasslands and savannas to the south.

This climate is characteristic of steppes, with hot summers and cool or mild winters, and minimal precipitation.

These rains sustain summer pastures of grasses and herbs, with dry woodlands and shrublands along seasonal watercourses.

Characteristic tree species are the umbrella thorn acacia (Acacia tortilis), salam (Acacia ehrenbergiana), Egyptian balsam (Balanites aegyptiaca), Senegalia senegal, Senegalia laeta, Maerua crassifolia, Adansonia digitata, Commiphora africana, Faidherbia albida, Borassus aethiopum, Vitellaria paradoxa, Olea europaea, Arbutus unedo, Phoenix canariensis, Phoenix dactylifera, Hyphaene compressa, Cupressus sempervirens, Quercus coccifera, Quercus suber, Quercus ilex, Quercus pubescens, Pistacia terebinthus, Pinus pinea, Pinus nigra, Populus alba, Populus nigra, Ceratonia siliqua, Salix alba, Afzelia africana, Kigelia africana, Sclerocarya birrea, Ziziphus spina-christi, Ficus salicifolia, Juglans regia, Laurus nobilis, Prosopis cineraria, Pinus halepensis, Aerva javanica, Prunus amygdalus, Corylus avellana, Juniperus communis, and Boscia senegalensis.