What type of desert is Antarctica classified as by annual precipitation?

Antarctica is classified as a polar desert because it receives very little annual precipitation.

Although Antarctica is covered by ice, most of the continent meets the geographic definition of a desert: precipitation is extremely low. The interior receives only a small amount of snowfall each year, and the cold air holds little moisture. Snow that does fall can remain for long periods because melting is rare.

Antarctica is the coldest, windiest and driest continent. Its ice sheet contains roughly 90 percent of the world’s fresh surface water and covers almost the entire landmass. The continent’s interior is far drier than its coastal regions, while the Antarctic Peninsula receives comparatively more snowfall.

A desert is defined primarily by dryness, not by heat or sand. That is why Antarctica is often described as the world’s largest desert, while the Sahara is the largest hot desert. The distinction is based on climate and precipitation rather than landscape appearance.