deserts
Deserts of the world : their location, size and topography for general knowledge. Learn about the deserts for competitive exams and improve your knowledge.

SUBTROPICAL DESERTS

Desert Location Size Topography
Sahara Morocco, Western Sahara, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia 3.5 million sq. mi. 70% gravel plains, sand, and dunes. Contrary to popular belief, the desert is only 30% sand. The world’s largest nonpolar desert gets its name from
Arabian Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen 1 million sq. mi. the Arabic word Sahra’ , meaning desert Gravel plains, rocky highlands; one-fourth is the Rub al-Khali (“Empty Quarter”), the world’s largest expanse of unbroken sand
Kalahari Botswana, South Africa, Namibia 220,000 sq. mi. Sand sheets, longitudinal dunes
Gibson Australia (southern portion of the
Western Desert)		 120,000 sq. mi. Sand hills, gravel, grass. These three regions of desert are collectively referred to as the Great Western Desert—otherwise known as “the Outback.” Contains Ayers Rock, or Uluru, one of the world’s largest monoliths
Great Sandy Australia (northern portion of the Western Desert) 150,000 sq. mi. Sand hills, gravel, grass. These three regions of desert are collectively referred to as the Great Western Desert—otherwise known as “the Outback.” Contains Ayers Rock, or Uluru, one of the world’s largest monoliths
Great Victoria Australia (southernmost portion of the Western Desert) 250,000 sq. mi. Sand hills, gravel, grass. These three regions of desert are collectively referred to as the Great Western Desert—otherwise known as “the Outback.” Contains Ayers Rock, or Uluru, one of the world’s largest monoliths
Simpson and sturt stony Australia (eastern half of the continent) 56,000 sq. mi. Simpson’s straight, parallel sand dunes are the longest in the world—up to 125 mi. Encompasses the Stewart Stony Desert, named for the Australian explorer
Mojave U.S.: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, California 54,000 sq. mi. Mountain chains , dry alkaline lake beds, calcium carbonate dunes
Sonoran sturt stony U.S.: Arizona, California; Mexico 120,000 sq. mi. Basins and plains bordered by mountain ridges; home to the Saguaro cactus
Chihuahuan Mexico; southwestern U.S. 175,000 sq. mi. Shrub desert; largest in North America
Thar India, Pakistan 175,000 sq. mi. Rocky sand and sand dunes

COOL COASTAL DESERTS

Desert Location Size Topography
Namib Angola, Namibia, South A frica 13,000 sq. mi. Gravel plains
Atacama Chile 54,000 sq. mi. Salt basins, sand, lava; world’s driest desert

COLD WINTER DESERTS

Desert Location Size Topography
Great Basin U.S.: Nevada, Oregon, Utah 190,000 sq. mi. Mountain ridges , valleys , 1% sand dunes
Colorado Plateau U.S.: A rizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming 130,000 sq. mi. Sedimentary rock, mesas, and plateaus —includes the Grand Canyon and is also called the “Painted Desert” because of the spectacular colors in its
Patagonian A rgentina 260,000 sq. mi. Gravel plains, plateaus, basalt sheets rocks and canyons
Kara-Kum Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan 135,000 sq. mi. 90% gray layered sand— name means “black sand”
Kyzyl-Kum Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan 115,000 sq. mi. Sands, rock—name means “red s and”
Iranian Iran 100,000 sq. mi. Salt, gravel, rock
Taklamakan China 105,000 sq. mi. Sand, dunes, gravel
Gobi China, Mongolia 500,000 sq. mi. Stony, sandy soil, steppes (dry grasslands)

POLAR

Desert Location Size Topography
Arctic U.S., Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway,
Sweden, Finland, Russia		 5.4 million sq. mi. Snow, glaciers, tundra
Antarctic Antarctica 5.5 million sq. mi. Ice, snow, bedrock