请分析一句英语句子.As recently as 6000 B.C.,the southern frontier of the desert was far to the north of where it is now.far to the north 怎么理解,to the north 是 far where it is now?怎么理解,the place which it is now?但翻译过来理解不了,“现在是的地方”?请问这句话整个翻译过来时什么意思

请分析一句英语句子.
As recently as 6000 B.C.,the southern frontier of the desert was far to the north of where it is now.
far to the north 怎么理解,to the north 是 far where it is now?怎么理解,the place which it is now?但翻译过来理解不了,“现在是的地方”?
请问这句话整个翻译过来时什么意思