The Loneliest Tree in the World
For decades, a single acacia tree stood in the Sahara, with no other tree for 400 kilometres. Caravans used it as a lighthouse. Then a truck hit it.
What was reported
The Tree of Ténéré was an acacia that grew alone in the Ténéré desert of Niger, in the heart of the Sahara. It was the last survivor of trees from a greener time, and the only one for about 400 kilometres in any direction. Salt caravans crossing the desert used it as a landmark.
When a well was dug beside it in the 1930s, workers found its roots reached water more than 30 metres down. In 1973, a truck driver crashed into it, in an empty desert, and knocked it down.
Explanations offered
The remains of the tree were taken to the National Museum of Niger in Niamey, and a metal sculpture now marks the spot. How a driver could hit the only tree for hundreds of kilometres remains a source of disbelief.
- When
- Stood alone until 1973
- Where
- Ténéré, Agadez, Niger
- Witnesses
- Desert travellers and caravans
- Status
- A real place
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.