Largest Deserts

RankNameTypeArea (km²)Area (Sq mi)Location
1AntarcticaPolar ice and tundra14,000,0005,400,000Antarctica
2ArcticPolar ice and tundra139850005400000Arctic (Alaska, Canada, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden)
3SaharaSubtropical12,000,0003,300,000North Africa (Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan and Tunisia)
4Australian DesertSubtropical2,700,0001,000,000Australia
5Arabian DesertSubtropical2,330,000900,000Western Asia (Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen)
6Gobi DesertCold Winter1,300,000500,000East Asia (China and Mongolia)
7Kalahari DesertSubtropical900,000360,000Southern Africa (Angola, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa)
8Patagonian DesertCold Winter673,000260,000South America (Argentina and Chile)
9Syrian DesertSubtropical520,000200,000Western Asia (Iraq, Jordan, and Syria)
10Great BasinCold Winter492,000190,000United States
11Chihuahuan DesertSubtropical450,000175,000North America (Mexico and the United States)
12Karakum DesertCold Winter350,000135,000Turkmenistan
13Colorado PlateauCold Winter337,000130,000United States
14Sonoran DesertSubtropical310,000120,000North America (Mexico and the United States)
15Kyzylkum DesertCold Winter300,000115,000Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan)
16Taklamakan DesertCold Winter270,000105,000China
17Thar DesertSubtropical200,00077,000South Asia (India and Pakistan)
18Dasht-e MargoSubtropical150,00058,000Afghanistan
19Registan DesertSubtropical146,00056,400Afghanistan
20Atacama DesertMild Coastal140,00054,000South America (Chile and Peru)
21Mojave DesertSubtropical124,00048,000United States
22Columbia BasinCold Winter81,00031,000United States
23Namib DesertCool Coastal81,00031,000Southern Africa (Angola and Namibia)
24Dasht-e KavirSubtropical77,00030,000Iran
25Dasht-e LootSubtropical52,00020,000Iran


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