Which desert is the largest in the world?

The Antarctic Desert is the largest desert in the world, surpassing any other desert by a significant margin. While many people think of deserts as hot, sandy areas, a desert is technically defined by low precipitation levels, which results in arid conditions. The Antarctic Desert fits this definition perfectly, as it receives very little snow or rain, making it extremely dry.

Its vast expanse covers approximately 14 million square kilometers (5.5 million square miles), which is larger than any other dry region. The unique characteristics of this polar desert include its cold climate and frozen landscape, often leading to the misconception that deserts can only be hot environments. In contrast, the Sahara, Arabian, and Gobi deserts, while significant in size, do not compare to the sheer vastness of the Antarctic Desert, both in terms of area and in their classification as deserts based on low humidity and precipitation.