Which desert is the largest hot desert in the world?

The Sahara Desert is recognized as the largest hot desert in the world, covering an area of approximately 9.2 million square kilometers (3.6 million square miles). It spans several countries in North Africa, including Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, and Tunisia. The Sahara is characterized by its arid climate, high temperatures, and vast stretches of sand dunes, rocky plateaus, and dry valleys.

In contrast, the Arabian Desert, although extensive, does not surpass the Sahara in size. The Gobi Desert is primarily classified as a cold desert and is located in Mongolia and northern China, which also distinguishes it from the hot desert classification. Lastly, the Kalahari Desert, found in southern Africa, is not as extensive as the Sahara and is often considered a semi-arid sandy savanna rather than a true desert in the same categorization as the Sahara.