Which is the largest desert in the world?

The Antarctic Desert is recognized as the largest desert in the world, surpassing all other deserts in size. Deserts are defined not only by their arid conditions but also by their low precipitation levels. The Antarctic Desert qualifies as a cold desert due to its extremely low temperatures and minimal annual precipitation, primarily in the form of snow. Covering an area of about 14 million square kilometers (5.4 million square miles), it significantly exceeds the size of the Sahara Desert, which is often mistakenly considered the largest when measured by area because it is a hot desert.

Understanding the classification of deserts is crucial here; while the Sahara is the largest hot desert and widely known, it is still considerably smaller than the Antarctic Desert when both types are compared. The distinction between hot and cold deserts highlights the diversity of desert environments and emphasizes that size can vary significantly when considering temperature ranges and geographic characteristics. The other deserts listed, such as the Arabian and Gobi deserts, are also substantial but do not compare in scale to the Antarctic Desert.