Top 10 Largest Deserts in the World
World Ranking - If you hear the word "desert" it is often characterized by heat, dryness, and sand. But the biggest desert on earth is not. Desert is an area that receives only a small amount of rainfall significantly. Deserts are not always hot, there are also cold deserts. And because of the little rainfall, most areas are barren, because dry living conditions make it difficult for plants and animals to survive.
It is estimated that one-third of the earth's surface area is arid and semi-arid. Deserts are classified based on the following factors:
- Amount of rain received
- Causes of desert formation
- Ambient temperature
- Geographical location
The following is a list of the 10 largest ranking deserts in the world:
10. Great Basin Desert - 492,000 square kilometers
The Great Basin Desert covers an area of 492,000 square kilometers and is the largest desert in the United States. This desert covers most of Nevada, western Utah, and parts of Oregon and California. This area borders the Rocky Mountains to the east, the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the west, the Sonoran and Mojave Mountains to the south, and the Columbia Highlands to the north. The Great Basin Desert is a region that has significant climate change, which is characterized by a very hot climate in the summer and becomes snowy in the winter.
9. Syrian Desert - 520,000 square kilometers
The Syrian Desert is located north of the Arabian Peninsula in Syria. This desert is a combination of true desert with steppe which covers an area of 520,000 square kilometers. The geographical condition of the desert is flat but very rocky because it was formed by lava flows originating from volcanic activity in the Jebel Druze region of Syria. This desert stretches in the Middle East which covers the southeastern part of Syria, northeast of Jordan, north of Saudi Arabia, and west of Iraq. To the south it borders and blends with the Arabian Desert.
8. Patagonian Desert - 620,000 square kilometers
The Patagonia Desert, also known as the Grassland / Patagonian Steppe or Magellanic Steppe, is the largest desert in Argentina and in southern America, and is the eighth largest desert in the world by area. This desert spans an area of 620,000 square kilometers, mostly covering Argentina, and a small portion in Chile, and is bordered by the Andes Mountains in the west, and the Atlantic Ocean in the east. The Patagonia Desert is a desert that has a cool climate with temperatures that rarely exceed 12 degrees Celsius. The average temperature in the desert is only around 3 degrees Celsius and is relatively windy because of the air from the descending mountains.
7. Great Victoria Desert - 647,000 square kilometers
The Great Victoria Desert is the largest desert on the Australian continent that covers an area of 647,000 square kilometers. This desert consists of many small dunes, grassland / steppe plains, gravel areas and salt lakes. It stretches from the South Australian Gawler Ranges to the Eastern Goldfields region in Western Australia. Average annual rainfall is very low, ranging from 200 to 250 mm (7.9 to 9.8 inches) per year. Lightning storms are relatively common in the Great Victoria desert, with an average of 15-20 lightning storms per year. During winter, temperatures in the Great Victoria desert drop to around 18 to 23 degrees Celsius. While during the summer, temperatures range from 32 to 40 degrees Celsius.
6. Kalahari Desert - 900,000 square kilometers
The Kalahari Desert is a vast, sandy and semi-arid savanna in South Africa. The Kalahari Desert covers an area of 900,000 square kilometers, which covers most of Botswana, parts of Namibia and the South African region. This desert has a large area covered with red sand without permanent surface water. The only permanent river in this desert, the Okavango river, flows into the delta in the northwestern desert that forms swamps rich in wildlife.
5. Gobi Desert - 1,000,000 square kilometers
The Gobi Desert is the largest desert in Asia that covers an area of 1,000,000 square kilometers. This desert covers much of North and Northeast China, as well as Southern Mongolia. The Gobi Desert is commonly referred to as the Rain Shadow Desert, because it is located adjacent to the Himalayas which blocks rainfall from the Indian Ocean to the Gobi region. The Gobi Desert is a desert that has cold temperatures, snow sometimes accumulates on its sand dunes.
4. Arabian Desert - 2,330,000 square kilometers
The Arabian Desert is located in West Asia which covers most of the Arabian Peninsula region. The Arabian Desert is one of the largest deserts in the world that covers an area of 2,330,000 square kilometers and crosses several countries including Yemen, the Persian Gulf, Oman, Jordan and Iraq. The climate in this desert is very dry and has plenty of sunshine throughout the year, with an average annual rainfall of around 100 mm, but in the driest regions only receive rainfall of around 30 - 40 mm per year. According to global standards, the sun's duration in the Arabian Desert is very high, between 2,900 hours (66.2% of daylight hours) and 3,600 hours (82.1% of daylight hours) but usually around 3,400 hours (77.6% of daylight hours) ) This shows clear sky conditions prevailing in the region and cloudy periods only occasionally. During the summer temperatures in this area are very high, ranging from 40 to 48 degrees Celsius. The highest record ever achieved is above 50 degrees Celsius.
3. Sahara Desert - 9,200,000 square kilometers
The Sahara Desert is the third largest desert in the world and the largest hot desert in the world. The total area of 9,200,000 square kilometers can be compared to the area of China or the United States. The Sahara Desert is located on the African continent and covers much of North Africa, excluding fertile areas on the Mediterranean seas, Atlas Mountains, Nile valleys in Egypt and Sudan, and coastal areas bordering the Mediterranean Sea. This desert stretches from the Red Sea in the east and the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the Atlantic Ocean in the west, where the landscape gradually changes from the desert to the coastal plains. The central part of the desert is very arid and there is no vegetation that grows in this area. The temperature in this area is very high, averaging more than 38-40 degrees Celsius, and the highest daily average temperature recorded officially is 47 degrees Celsius. The temperature of sand and soil is even more extreme. During the day, the temperature of the sand can reach 80 degrees Celsius. While the soil temperature can reach 75 degrees Celsius.
Related article: Top 10 Largest Countries in the World
2. Arctic Desert - 13,985,000 square kilometers
The Arctic Desert is the second largest desert in the world after Antarctica, which stretches for nearly 14 million square kilometers. The Arctic Desert is located at the north pole of the earth with a surface that is always covered in snow. As a cold desert, winter temperatures drop to -40 degrees Celsius or lower. This desert is characterized by strong winds that move snow, which creates the illusion of continuous snow. Arctic Desert depreciation is very alarming because it can have a serious impact on global water levels.
1. Antarctic Desert - 14,200,000 square kilometers
The Antarctic Desert is the largest desert in the world that covers a land surface area of more than 14 million square kilometers. In comparison, Antarctica is almost twice the size of the Australian continent. This desert is located at the south pole of the earth with a surface that is always covered in thick snow. About 98% of the Antarctic surface is covered with ice sheets with an average thickness of up to 1.9 km. The Antarctic Desert is also the driest, windiest and coldest place in the world. The temperature in this area is generally very cold, and can drop to -89 degrees Celsius in winter.
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