What is the largest desert in the world, covering much of Antarctica?

The Antarctic Desert is the largest desert in the world, covering much of Antarctica.

A desert is defined by very low precipitation, not by heat or sand. Antarctica qualifies because its interior receives extremely little snowfall, despite being covered by a vast ice sheet. The continent is therefore the world’s largest desert by area, while the Sahara is the largest hot desert.

The Antarctic Desert covers roughly 13.8 million square kilometers when Antarctica’s ice-covered area is considered. Cold air holds little moisture, and powerful katabatic winds can move downslope from the high interior toward the coast. Some regions, including the McMurdo Dry Valleys, are so arid that they have exposed soil and almost no persistent snow or ice.

Antarctica’s climate makes biological life difficult, but the continent is not lifeless. Microorganisms, seals, penguins, and specialized plants survive mainly in less extreme coastal or ice-free environments. The Antarctic ice sheet stores most of Earth’s fresh water.