What Makes a Desert?

Deserts are very big and dry. They are very hot or very cold. They don't get much rain. You might think deserts are empty, but many plants and animals live there! They have changed to survive in the desert. The largest desert in Asia (NYT) is one of them!

Deserts cover a lot of Earth's land - about one-third! Let's explore the 5 biggest deserts on Earth. We'll learn where they are and what makes them special.

A desert is a place that gets less than 10 inches (250 mm) of rain each year. Deserts often form when mountains block rain clouds. Deserts usually have:

• Very hot days and cold nights
• Dry air
• More water evaporating than falling as rain
• Few plants that can survive with little water
• Special animals like reptiles, spiders, birds, and mammals

Deserts are important for Earth's climate and are home to many unique living things. Now, let's look at the 10 biggest deserts in the world.

Antarctica: The Ice Desert

Where and How Big: Antarctica is at the South Pole. It's the biggest desert in the world, covering 5.5 million square miles.

Weather and Features: Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, and driest place on Earth. Temperatures can be as low as -76°F. Strong winds and blizzards are common. Even though it's covered in ice, Antarctica gets very little snow, making it a desert.

Plants and Animals: Almost no plants grow in Antarctica. Animals like penguins, seals, and whales live near the coast. Tiny animals like mites also live there.

Sahara: The Great Sand Sea

Where and How Big: The Sahara covers 3.5 million square miles across North Africa, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea.

Weather and Features: The Sahara is very hot and dry. Summer temperatures can reach 122°F. It gets less than 1 inch of rain per year. The Sahara has sandy and rocky plains, huge sand dunes, mountains, and oases.

Plants and Animals: There are some grasses and small bushes. Animals like camels and fennec foxes live here. Oases have date palm trees and small animals.

Australian Desert: The Outback

Where and How Big: The Australian Desert, called the Outback, covers 1.3 million square miles in the middle of Australia.

Weather and Features: The Outback is hot and dry, with summer temperatures over 120°F. It gets between 5-20 inches of rain per year. The land has big plains, old mountains, and very long sand dunes.

Plants and Animals: Plants include special grasses and small trees. Animals like kangaroos, dingoes, emus, and many kinds of lizards and snakes live here.

Arabian Desert: The Desert of the Bedouins

Where and How Big: The Arabian Desert covers 900,000 square miles across several countries in the Middle East.

Weather and Features: This desert is very hot and dry. Temperatures can reach 130°F in summer. It only gets 2-4 inches of rain per year. It has the world's largest sand desert, called Rub' al Khali, with big dunes and mountains.

Plants and Animals: Date palms grow near oases, with small bushes elsewhere. Animals include camels, oryx, and small jumping rodents called jerboas.

Gobi Desert: The Cold Desert

Where and How Big: The Gobi Desert covers 500,000 square miles in northern China and southern Mongolia.

Weather and Features: The Gobi is cold and dry. Temperatures can range from -40°F in winter to 113°F in summer. It gets less than 8 inches of rain per year. The land has rocky plains, sand dunes, and strange wind-carved rock formations.

Plants and Animals: Some bushes, grasses, and trees grow near water. Animals include wild camels, snow leopards, bears, and many kinds of birds.

Conclusion

There are 5 really big deserts on our planet. You can find them on every continent, except Europe. They are very different, like the cold Antarctica and the hot Sahara. These deserts are home to special plants and animals that you can't find elsewhere. We must protect these delicate places for our children's future. The beautiful views in these deserts are natural wonders that we should explore with care and respect, as featured on saywhatmagazine.