The Kalahari sand sheet occupies 2.5 million ha in southern Africa. It is an area with relatively similar deep Aeolian soils, and a strong south to north gradient in rainfall, from 200 to 1000 mm mean annual precipitation (MAP) in the region studied. This provides an excellent basis for gradient studies at the sub continental scale. This paper briefly reviews the literature on the vegetation of the Kalahari and describes the vegetation structure and composition at 11 new sites. Keywords: Vegetation structure, Biomass, Kalahari, Shrub lands, Tree height, woodlands, Plant sciences, Ecology, Forestry.