Published on: 2026-07-23
Unusual Geography and Earth Science
Which of these continents is technically the largest desert on Earth?
Correct
Many people think a desert must be covered in hot, sweltering sand, but geography defines a desert by its lack of precipitation, not its temperature! Because Antarctica receives very little rain or snow, this frozen kingdom of ice officially qualifies as the largest desert on the planet. Africa is home to the Sahara, which is the largest hot desert, but it cannot compete with the icy giant in total size. Australia is mostly arid, but it is not technically classified as a desert continent in its entirety. Asia houses many large deserts like the Gobi, but as a whole, it is far too rainy and diverse to beat the snowy expanse of the South Pole.