The largest desert in the world.

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Deserts on the planet occupy more than 20% of the land. But do you know which one is the biggest? If your answer is Sahara, then you are wrong. And TravelAsk will tell you why.

What types of deserts are there?

In fact, the largest desert on the planet is the Antarctic Desert. Its area is 13,829,430 square kilometers.

First, let's remember the definition of desert. This is a natural area characterized by a flat surface, sparseness or absence of flora and specific fauna. Scientists distinguish between sandy, rocky, clayey, and saline deserts. Separately, there are snowy or polar deserts, which are located in Antarctica and the Arctic.

Desert in Antarctica

The Antarctic desert includes all the land of Antarctica. This polar desert is not only the coldest of all, but also the driest. These 14 million square kilometers of continent are very poorly studied. To study the snowy desert, scientists study ice cores - these are long cylinders of ice obtained by drilling into the ice surface. Thanks to this, they can go back in time thousands of years and obtain information about the earth's climate during that period.

The Antarctic desert has a very harsh climate: in winter the temperature here drops to -70 degrees, and in summer - from -30 to -50 degrees. By the sea in the summer months (and summer here is in December, January and February) it is relatively warm here: 10-12 degrees. Moreover, the temperature rises so high also due to the reflection of heat from snow and ice. This phenomenon is called albedo.

There are oases near the coast in the Antarctic desert. However, if you imagined greenery and rivers flowing from underground, you were wrong again. This is just an ice-free area. Mosses and lichens grow here, and algae grow in the water. But, despite this unfavorable weather, there are inhabitants here.

So, Belgica Antarctica lives here - this is a wingless midge, its length does not exceed 1.3 centimeters. In addition, small ticks live here. And, of course, penguins. But it's not all birds. Three species of birds live here that are found nowhere else. These are the Snowy Plover, the Great Pipit and the Yellow-billed Pintail.

In second place in size is the Sahara. This is the largest sand desert: its area is approximately 9,100,000 square kilometers. Approximately the same area. The Sahara covers the entire northern part of Africa and partially or completely covers as many as eleven countries, including Egypt, Niger, Algeria, Mali, Libya, Chad, Western Sahara and Sudan. The desert divides the African continent into two parts: North and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Sahara extends from east to west over 1,600 kilometers in width and approximately 5,000 kilometers in length. It covers almost all parts of North Africa. Endless sands stretch from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coast, to the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

Back in 4000 BC, the climate in modern Sahara was wetter, trees grew here, and there were many lakes. Then this territory underwent various atmospheric changes, which led to a change in climatic conditions.

If we talk about the climate of the Sahara today, then in the desert it is combined: in the north there are subtropics, and in the south there are tropics, the air is very dry and hot, and the nights are cold.

There are underground rivers that sometimes flow to the surface and form oases. Thanks to the increased humidity and warm air, the soil in the oases is very fertile and vegetation develops well here.

And, of course, most of the desert is occupied by sand: the dunes here reach 180 meters in height. The most interesting thing is that in winter, snow sometimes falls in this area, and you can often see snow caps on the mountain peaks.

But it’s scary here not only because of the heat: very strong winds blow in the Sahara, which bring multi-day storms.

The Sahara is also the leader in the number of mirages that arise. There is even a map of mirages that helps determine the places where they are most likely and most likely to appear.

Sahara 9,065,000 km²

The world's largest desert, with an area of ​​about 9,065,000 km² - slightly smaller than the area of ​​the United States of America. The Sahara is located in North Africa, on the territory of more than ten states (Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan). The Sahara does not lend itself to categorization within one type of desert, although the predominant type is sandy-stony.
In the Sahara, about 160 thousand mirages are observed annually (an optical phenomenon in the atmosphere: the reflection of light by a boundary between layers of air that are sharply different in density. For an observer, such a reflection consists of the fact that, together with a distant object (or part of the sky), its virtual image is visible, displaced relative to subject.) . They can be stable and wandering, vertical and horizontal. Even special maps of caravan routes have been compiled with an assessment of the places where mirages are usually observed..

Arabian desert. 2,330,000 km²

The Arabian Desert is located on the Arabian Peninsula, located in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and occupies parts of Iraq, Syria, southern and eastern Jordan. Vast spaces of the Arabian Desert are occupied by moving dunes and sand massifs; in its center is Rub' al-Qali, one of the largest sand massifs in the world. Most of the territory is uninhabited due to frequent sand and dust storms and strong winds, high temperatures with normal for deserts with large daily amplitudes. The temperature range is 40-50°C in summer, the average temperature in winter is 5-15°C, although it can drop to 0°C.

Gobi. 1,166,000 km²

A vast region in Central Asia (in the territories of Mongolia and China), characterized by desert and semi-desert landscapes. The Gobi extends from the Altai and Tien Shan mountains in the east to the North China Plateau in the west; in the north the Gobi passes into the steppes of Mongolia, in the south the region is limited by the Nanshan and Altyntag mountains and the Yellow River. The Gobi consists of several geographical regions: the Trans-Altai Gobi, the Mongolian Gobi, the Alashan Gobi, the Gashun Gobi and the Dzungarian Gobi. The word “Gobi” is of Mongolian origin and means “waterless place”; in Central Asia, this word generally refers to desert and semi-desert landscapes. In terms of the totality of desert areas, the Gobi is the largest desert in Asia.

Australian desert. 647,000 km²

Deserts have taken over the vast territory of Australia, almost half of the continent. A significant part of the Australian deserts in the west are located on a huge plateau 200 m above sea level. Some deserts rise even higher, up to 600 m. The complex terrain divides the giant Australian desert into several autonomous ones. The largest of them, the Great Sandy Desert, is located in the northwestern part of the continent; to the south lies the huge Great Victoria Desert. In the northern part of the Great Sandy Desert, the sands are red-brown in color; other areas are covered not with sand, but with dark rubble and pebbles.
Among the sandy deserts, the largest is the Arunta Desert, or Simpson Desert. It is located in the central part of the continent, closer to the west:
Arunta Desert

Simpson Desert

Great Sandy Desert

Kalahari. 600,000 km²

Desert in South Africa within the states of Botswana, South Africa and Namibia. Recently, due to an increase in area, it has been invading the territory of Angola, Zimbabwe and Zambia. The area of ​​the Kalahari is about 600 thousand km2. The climate of the Kalahari is arid with summer maximum precipitation and mild winters, with aridity increasing towards the southeast. Precipitation (up to 500 mm) is confined to the summer period (November - April), but its value varies significantly both in time and area. The Kalahari is one of the hottest regions of South Africa. The average maximum temperature is plus 29°, and the average minimum temperature is plus 12°

Karakum. 350,000 km²

Sandy desert in southern Central Asia, covering most of Turkmenistan. The area is 350,000 km². The desert is divided into Zaunguz Karakum, Central Karakum, Lowland Karakum and South-Eastern Karakum.

Chocolates are named after this desert.

Deserts account for about 11% of the entire land surface. There are more than two dozen zones uninhabited by humans, which are impressive in their size. All of them are very poor in flora and fauna and most often have abnormal temperature indicators that are incompatible with life.

We invite the reader to find out what it is like, largest desert in the world.

10. Chihuahua | Area 362 thousand square meters. km

Opens the top ten largest deserts in the world with an area of ​​362 thousand square meters. km. It is located between two countries: the USA and Mexico. This is a very arid zone with alternating sandy plains and mountain ranges. Summers here are quite hot with temperatures up to 40 degrees above zero. Local flora includes acacia trees, creosote bush and numerous varieties of cactus. Animals here include pronghorns, lizards, rodents, etc.

9. Victoria | Area 423 thousand sq. km

The largest desert in Australia with an area of ​​423 thousand square meters. km, which is 4% of the entire continent. The desert was named by Australian explorer Ernest Giles in honor of Queen Victoria. The area is characterized by an arid climate, so there is no agricultural activity. A biosphere reserve has been opened in Victoria, where kangaroo rats, echidnas, dingoes, budgerigars and some types of poisonous snakes live. The flora here is represented by squat acacias, eucalyptus trees, feather grass, kangaroo grass and solyanka.

8. Patagonian Desert | Area 673 thousand square meters. km

It is located on the seventh step of the ranking. The territory it occupies is 673 thousand square meters. km. It is part of South America and is located on the lands of Argentina and Chile. The rocky and sandy soils of the Patagonian desert are sparse in vegetation. The sparse fauna is represented by plant species such as feather grass, bluegrass, milinum and fescue. Animals here include wild llama, rodents, puma, Argentine gray fox, Patagonian weasel, lizards and others. The Patagonian desert is characterized by a dry climate and fairly low temperatures.

7. Kalahari | Area 900 thousand sq. km

One of the largest deserts in the world with an area of ​​900 thousand square meters. km. It is located on the territory of South Africa, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and is gradually increasing, which is why it began to occupy the territories of neighboring countries. The Kalahari is the hottest zone in South Africa. The average here is +29 degrees, and the lowest recorded temperature is 12 degrees above zero. The desert has a fairly rich fauna. The Kalahari is home to zebras, giraffes, gazelles, antelopes, hyenas, lions, leopards, honey badgers, meerkats, rodents, monitor lizards, lizards, geckos and others.

6. Syrian Desert | Area 1 million sq. km

ranks sixth on the list of the largest deserts in the world. It occupies an area of ​​1 million square meters. km and is part of the states of Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. The vegetation here is quite sparse and consists of herbs and shrubs: biyurgun, saxaul, boyalych and wormwood. The fauna is also quite poor and is represented by camels, antelopes, and lizards.

5. Gobi | Area 1.3 million sq. km

It ranks fifth among the largest deserts in the world. The total area it occupies is 1.3 million square meters. km. The desert was divided between the states of China and Mongolia. Another name for the desert is Shamo. To prevent the expansion of the desert zone, the Chinese state is implementing the Green Wall project. The Gobi is one of the hottest and coldest places on Earth. Why? The thing is that in the summer there is unbearable heat here with temperatures of +58 degrees, and in the winter the mercury can drop to a temperature of -55 degrees. In some areas, the Gobi fauna is represented by rodents, wild camels, antelopes and snakes. Among the vegetation you can find camel thorns and saltworts.

4. Arabian Desert | Area 2.3 million sq. km

It ranks fourth on the list of the largest deserts in the world. It is located on an area of ​​2.3 million square meters. km. The lion's share of the desert falls in Saudi Arabia. The rest was divided between Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman and Yemen. There are sharp temperature changes here: in the daytime, indicators can reach 56 degrees above zero, and at night they can drop to minus 12 degrees. For this reason, the local flora and fauna are very scarce. Among the animals you can find gazelles, sand cats and spiny tails.

3. Arctic desert | Area 2.6 million sq. km

Opens the top three by area. The territory occupied by the polar zone is 2.6 million km. It is part of Alaska, Russia, Canada, Denmark and Iceland. The Arctic lands are covered with rubble, rock debris and glaciers. The air temperature here in winter reaches minus 60 degrees. The flora in this area is represented by mosses and lichens. The land fauna is represented by polar bears, arctic foxes and rodents. Marine fauna is inhabited by seals and walruses. Some species of birds also visit this harsh place.

2. Sugar | Area 9.1 million sq. km

The largest subtropical desert in the world. It is also one of the hottest places on the planet. The total occupied area of ​​the Sahara is 9.1 million square meters. km. Partially, the largest desert covers ten countries. The territory is unsuitable for life due to infertility of the soil and high temperatures, which in some places can reach +60 degrees. The peculiarity of the Sahara is that every year it increases in size. For this reason, Algeria is implementing a green wall project to plant trees. This will prevent the sands from capturing more and more new territories. The animals living here are predominantly nocturnal. Among the mammals in the Sahara, there are many species of rodents, the Cape hare, the maned sheep, the Ethiopian hedgehog and others. This place is also attractive for some species of birds: ostriches, guinea fowl, secretary birds, etc.

1. Antarctic Desert | Area 13.8 million sq. km

(Antarctica) with an area of ​​13.8 million square meters. km tops the list of the largest in the world. The polar snow-covered zone is notable not only for its vast territory, but also for the lowest temperatures on Earth, which can exceed 80 degrees. Due to very harsh climatic conditions, the local flora and fauna are quite poor. Near the coasts, in Antarctic oases, there is sparse vegetation in the form of moss and lichen. There are no land mammals, insects, and even ponds are not inhabited by fish. In small bodies of water on land live protozoa, represented by rotifers and lower crustaceans. Small mites and springtails live among the lichens. The harsh Antarctic zone is inhabited by penguins, great pipit, white plover and yellow-billed pintail.

Deserts are vast natural areas of both the Southern and Northern Hemispheres, divided into several types according to their composition, occupy more than 16.5 million km 2, occupying more than 11 percent of all land. On Earth there are sandy and saline, clayey and rocky, and even snowy deserts.

Sahara – a huge desert with an area of ​​8600 km2, located on the territory of 11 countries. Despite the more common sandy type of territories, the surface of the Sahara does not belong to one specific category of deserts, since its areas cover all desert types, with the exception of snowy ones, which are a separate natural zone. Despite the popular belief that deserts are waterless, the Nile flows through the Sahara, the tributaries of which form a stable, permanent transit watercourse.

These vast, often lifeless spaces are inhabited by approximately 2.5 million people, typically local indigenous peoples and ethnic groups, largely living a closed, nomadic lifestyle, subject to seasonal changes.

2nd place

Libyan desert occupies an area of ​​2 million km 2, stretching over the territory of three states. Quite a few oases are inhabited by Berbers and Libyans, representing isolated centers of life whose main occupation is the cultivation of grain crops and fruit trees, as well as cattle breeding. In the Libyan Desert there are numerous outlets of groundwater, which significantly affect the life of the entire natural zone.

3rd place

Nubian desert mostly located on the territory of Sudan, and to a lesser extent on the territory of Egypt, its total area is 1240 thousand km 2. In the northern part, sandy and rocky lands smoothly transform into the Arabian desert. The climate in this natural area causes a lack of precipitation for several years. The maximum temperature in these places reaches 53 degrees. The Nubian Desert is home to up to 2.5 million people belonging to more than 20 different nationalities.

4th place

Gobi Desert , with an area of ​​1.3 million km 2, occupies vast territories of China and Mongolia. For several years, the Chinese government has been actively fighting the rapid advance of the desert, deciding to carry out artificial landscaping. Climatic changes in the Gobi Desert reach a difference of 100 degrees; with summer temperatures within 55°C, winter temperatures can reach -55°C.

Due to its extent and the difference in climatic biological conditions, the desert is not only actively populated, but has economic importance based on agriculture, natural resource extraction and livestock farming.

Desert North American highlands The large basin occupies an area of ​​more than 500 thousand km 2, which, together with mountain ranges, reaches a size of 1036 thousand km 2. This is one of the driest places on the continent, representing almost lifeless spaces that are of particular interest to tourists who prefer to spend time in harmony with nature. But in addition to the main uninhabited territory in the Great Basin, there is the city of Salt Lake City with a population exceeding 180 thousand, which became the capital of the Olympic Games in 2002.

Sandy desert of Rub al-Khali extends over 650 thousand km 2, occupying the territories of four states located in the Middle East. Almost completely lifeless spaces are used in rare cases for the extraction of gypsum, quartz and gravel; the lack of vegetation and water does not make the development of agriculture and animal husbandry possible. This is one of the hottest and driest deserts in the world with the most constant climate indicators, with temperatures of 47°C stable for July and August.

The desert is an amazing world in which, along with harsh climatic conditions, poor flora and fauna, majesty and mystery reign. These deserted expanses, of which there are more than 30, occupy about 16% of the surface of the globe. There are many types of deserts: they can be sandy, clay, shale and others. But the largest desert in the world is covered with a continuous layer of ice.

The largest desert on Earth

The Antarctic Desert occupies a huge area, which is the largest on the planet. It covers an area of ​​13,829,430 square meters. km. Its endless expanses are covered with a thick layer of ice. The Antarctic desert is polar and is located on the southern continent of the planet. It is considered not only the largest, but also the most severe. The climatic conditions of this region are characterized by the following features:

• lowest air humidity;
• the lowest temperatures on the planet;
• strong constant winds;
• highest intensity of solar radiation.

Due to the extremely harsh conditions, the flora and fauna of the Antarctic desert is very poor. On its outskirts, close to the coast, there are moss and lichens, among which ticks and insects live. The largest inhabitants of the Antarctic desert are penguins, of which there are several species.

The largest sandy desert located in the subtropical zone is the Sahara. Its endless expanses occupy about 9 million square meters. km, and extend throughout almost the entire northern part of the African continent. The Sahara is considered the hottest desert on the planet. In summer, the temperature here can reach +58 °C, while the surface warms up to +75 °C. In winter, daytime temperatures drop to +13°C, and at night they can reach -18°C. Precipitation falls unevenly across the Sahara: in the northern zones there are strong thunderstorms, which result in floods, and in the southern part there is no rain for years. It is in this part of the desert that the surface is covered with continuous sand, on which there is no vegetation.

Drought-resistant grasses, shrubs and trees are found in the Sahara. They grow in areas where there is minimal water supply. Of the animals, there are more than 4 thousand different species of invertebrates and about 60 species of mammals. More than 30 thousand species of birds find refuge in the desert, most of which are migratory.

A huge area of ​​the earth's surface is occupied by another polar desert - the Arctic. Its area is 2.6 million square meters. km. It is located in the northern part of the globe. Its surface is covered with ice, rubble and large boulders. The temperatures remain below zero for almost the whole year, and only in the middle of summer can the air warm up to +3°C. In winter, the polar night sets in here, which lasts 6 months in the very center of the desert. The Arctic desert often experiences very thick fog and strong winds. The sky is often overcast and precipitation occurs frequently. The only vegetation found is mosses and lichens. The coastal areas are home to fauna such as polar bears, lemmings and arctic foxes.

A significant area is occupied by the desert located on the Arabian Peninsula. Its area reaches 2.33 million sq.m. Due to the hot climate, there is little vegetation and very poor fauna. Among the plants, there are grasses, shrubs and trees that tolerate drought well. The largest animals living in the Arabian Desert are gazelles. Research has shown that previously, forests grew in the territory occupied by the Arabian Desert, and there were many bodies of water.

Between the Altai and Tien Shan mountains in Asia stretch the endless expanses of the Gobi Desert, whose area is 1.3 million square meters. km. The climatic conditions in the desert are extremely harsh, due to its location in the continental zone. In winter, the air temperature can drop to -50°C, and in summer it warms up to +57°C. Due to such a huge range of temperatures, few plants are found in the desert. The fauna is also not diverse. Here you can find small rodents, snakes, antelopes and camels.

About 1 million sq. km of the Middle East is occupied by the Syrian Desert. This is a harsh region with very poor vegetation, which is limited to drought-resistant grasses and shrubs. Animals here include camels, antelopes and lizards. In the steppe areas of the desert, the vegetation is more diverse, which allows local residents to engage in livestock farming.

A significant area of ​​the southern part of the African Peninsula is occupied by the Kalahari Desert - 900 thousand sq. km. The climate here remains hot throughout the year. The air temperature in the summer months is +29°C, and in winter it drops to +12°C. The Kalahari receives rainfall in the summer, which is why drought-resistant plants are found here. The desert is home to many species of animals, from giraffes to insects.

The Patagonian Desert stretches along the coast of the South American continent, with an area of ​​673 thousand square meters. km. Its surface is covered with sand and rubble. It maintains a dry, cold climate, which is caused by the Falkland Current of the Atlantic Ocean. The average temperature ranges from +5°C to +13.4°C. In certain areas of the desert with high humidity, many species of temperature-resistant grasses, shrubs and trees grow. The fauna of the Patagonian Desert is quite diverse.

The vast territory of the Australian continent is occupied by the Victoria Desert, whose area is 647 thousand square meters. km. Thanks to the warm climate, many types of drought-resistant vegetation can be found in the vast desert. Victoria's fauna is very diverse. Aboriginal tribes are found in the desert.

In the western part of the North American continent there is a desert called the Great Basin. Its area is 492 thousand square meters. km. The surface of the desert is covered with sand and rock formations. Various drought-resistant vegetation is found here and many species of animals live here.