What's the largest desert in the world? (Hint: It's not the Sahara)

[Judi Lynn]

They cover more than one-fifth of the planet and are on every continent

Fermin Koop by Fermin Koop July 15, 2020

When you hear the word desert, the mind usually drifts towards sun, sand, and dunes. But in truth, deserts are much more varied than you’d imagine. They come in all shapes and sizes and vary quite a lot from one part of the world to the next one.

You’ll probably be surprised to learn that the largest desert in the world is actually the Antarctic.



The Antarctica Desert. Credit Flickr

Deserts are far more than the desolate landscapes we often picture them as. They are biologically rich habitats with a wide array of animals and plants that have adapted to living there. Some deserts are among the last remaining areas of true wilderness on the planet, yet many people call them home: more than one billion people (a sixth of the global population) actually live in desert regions.

Deserts cover more than one-fifth of the Earth’s land area and can be found on every continent — and only 20% of them are covered in sand.

So what makes a desert?
A place that receives less than 25 centimeters (or 10 inches) of rain per year is considered a desert. They are part of a wider type of region called drylands, which are defined by a scarcity of water. Drylands can lose more moisture through evaporation than they obtain from precipitation.

More:
https://www.zmescience.com/other/feature-post/largest-desert-on-planet-14072020/

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. Woooooooo Hoooooooooooooo, I knew that one.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Me too!

[SCantiGOP]

7. I've used this as a trivia question for years

[orwell]

3. The empty space...

...between Trump's ears.

[lastlib]

4. (not so sure....)

I hear that may get "golden showers" every so often............

[cstanleytech]

6. They said largest desert not largest asshole.

[cstanleytech]

5. I was going to say Antarctica but that is because I read about it years ago.