Which continent is also classified as the world’s largest desert?

Antarctica is the world’s largest desert because its interior receives extremely little precipitation.

A desert is defined by dryness rather than heat. Antarctica is therefore a polar desert, with much of the continent receiving less than 200 millimetres of precipitation annually and some interior regions receiving far less.

The continent covers about 14 million square kilometres and is almost completely covered by an ice sheet. This ice contains roughly 90 percent of the world’s surface fresh water, although it is frozen and not readily available for ordinary use.

Antarctica is also the coldest, driest, and windiest continent. It has no permanent native human population, but research stations operate there under the Antarctic Treaty System. The Sahara is the largest hot desert, while Antarctica is larger overall. Confusing those two categories is the main reason people often give the Sahara as the largest desert without qualification.