A desert is a landscape or region of land that is very dry
because of low rainfall amounts (precipitation), often has
little coverage by plants, and in which streams dry up
unless they are supplied by water from outside areas.
Deserts can also be described as areas where more water is
lost by evapotranspiration than falls as precipitation. Desert
plants must have special adaptations to survive with this
little water. Deserts generally receive less than 250
millimetres of rain (precipitation) each year. Semi deserts or
steppes are regions which receive between 250 millimetres
and 400 to 500 millimetres.
Hot Desert Cold Desert
Rank Desert Area (km²) Area (mi²)
1 Antarctic Desert (Antarctica) 14,200,000 5,500,000
2 Arctic Desert (Arctic) 13,900,000 5,400,000
3 Sahara Desert (Africa) 9,100,000 3,500,000
4 Arabian Desert (Middle East) 2,600,000 1,000,000
5 Gobi Desert (Asia) 1,300,000 500,000
6 Patagonian Desert (South America) 670,000 260,000
7 Great Victoria Desert (Australia) 647,000 250,000
8 Kalahari Desert (Africa) 570,000 220,000
9 Great Basin Desert (North America) 490,000 190,000
10 Thar Desert (India, Pakistan) 450,000 175,000
Deserts of the world
In geography, an oasis (plural: oases)
or cienega (Southwestern United States) is an isolated area
of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or
similar water source. Oases also provide habitat for animals
and even humans if the area is big enough. The location of
oases has been of critical importance for trade and
transportation routes in desert areas. Caravans must travel
via oases so that supplies of water and food can be
replenished. Thus, political or military control of an oasis has
in many cases meant control of trade on a particular route.
Picture Of Oasis
Plants of Desert
Animals of Desert
Camel Scorpio
Lizard Snake
Fox
Dragon
Stepped Lizard
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built either
by wind or water flow. Dunes occur in different forms and
sizes, formed by interaction with the flow of air or water.
Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side
where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a
shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind. The valley or
trough between dunes is called a slack. A "dune field" is
an area covered by extensive sand dunes. Large dune
fields are known as ergs.
Picture Of Sand Dunes