List of deserts by area

This is a list of the largest deserts in the world by area. It includes all deserts above 50,000 square kilometres (19,300 sq mi).

Some of Earth's biggest deserts
RankNameTypeImageArea
(km2)		Area
(sq mi)		Location
1AntarcticaPolar Ice and Tundra14,000,000 14,000,00005,405,000 5,405,000Antarctica
2SaharaSubtropical09,000,000 9,000,000+03,300,000 3,300,000+Northern Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, the Sudan, Tunisia, and Western Sahara)
Western Africa (Mali, Mauritania, and Niger)
Eastern Africa (Eritrea)
Middle Africa (Chad)
3Australian DesertSubtropical02,700,000 2,700,00001,000,000 1,000,000Australia
4Arabian DesertSubtropical02,330,000 2,330,000[1]00,900,000 900,000Western Asia (Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen)
5Gobi DesertCold Winter01,300,000 1,295,00000,500,000 500,000Eastern Asia (China and Mongolia)
6Kalahari DesertSubtropical00,900,000 900,000[2]00,360,000 360,000Southern Africa (Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa)
7Patagonian DesertCold Winter00,673,000 620,00000,260,000 200,000South America (Argentina and Chile)
8Syrian DesertSubtropical00,520,000 520,000[3]00,200,000 200,000Western Asia (Iraq, Jordan, and Syria)
9Great BasinCold Winter00,492,000 492,000[3]00,190,000 190,000United States
10Chihuahuan DesertSubtropical00,450,000 450,000[3]00,175,000 175,000Central America (Mexico)
Northern America (United States)
11Karakum DesertCold Winter00,350,000 350,000[3]00,135,000 135,000Turkmenistan
12Colorado PlateauCold Winter00,337,000 337,000[3]00,130,000 130,000United States
13Sonoran DesertSubtropical00,310,000 310,000[3]00,120,000 120,000Central America (Mexico)
Northern America (United States)
14Kyzylkum DesertCold Winter00,300,000 300,000[3]00,115,000 115,000Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan)
15Taklamakan DesertCold Winter00,270,000 270,00000,105,000 105,000China
16Thar DesertSubtropical00,200,000 200,000[4]00,077,000 77,000Southern Asia (India and Pakistan)
17Dasht-e MargoSubtropical 00,150,000 150,00000,058,000 58,000Afghanistan
18Registan DesertSubtropical 00,146,000 146,00000,056,400 56,400Afghanistan
19Atacama DesertMild Coastal00,140,000 140,000[3]00,054,000 54,000South America (Chile and Peru)
20Mojave DesertSubtropical00,124,000 124,000[5][6]00,048,000 48,000United States
21Columbia BasinCold Winter00,081,000 83,100[3]00,031,000 32,100United States
22Namib DesertCool Coastal00,081,000 81,000[3]00,031,000 31,000Middle Africa (Angola)
Southern Africa (Namibia and South Africa)
23Dasht-e KavirSubtropical00,077,000 77,000[7]00,030,000 30,000Iran
24Dasht-e LutSubtropical00,052,000 52,000[7]00,020,000 20,100Iran

References
  1. "Arabian Desert". Retrieved 2007-12-28.
  2. Bass, Karen (2009-02-01). "Nature's Great Events:The Okavango Delta, Kalahari Desert" (PDF). press.uchicago.edu. University of Chicago Press. Retrieved 2012-04-26.
  3. "Largest Desert in the World". Retrieved 2011-12-27.
  4. Thar Desert - Britannica Online Encyclopedia
  5. "Mapping Perennial Vegetation Cover in the Mojave Desert" (PDF). pubs.usgs.gov. USGS Western Geographic Science Center. 2011-06-01. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
  6. "Recoverability and Vulnerability of Desert Ecosystems". mojave.usgs.gov. USGS. 2006-03-03. Archived from the original on 2012-05-01. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  7. Wright, John W., ed. (2006). The New York Times Almanac (2007 ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books. p. 456. ISBN 0-14-303820-6.
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