A desert is a landscape or region of land that is very dry

because of low rainfall amounts (precipitation), often has

little coverage by plants, and in which streams dry up

unless they are supplied by water from outside areas.

Deserts can also be described as areas where more water is

lost by evapotranspiration than falls as precipitation. Desert

plants must have special adaptations to survive with this

little water. Deserts generally receive less than 250

millimetres of rain (precipitation) each year. Semi deserts or

steppes are regions which receive between 250 millimetres

and 400 to 500 millimetres.

Hot Desert Cold Desert

Rank Desert Area (km²) Area (mi²)

1 Antarctic Desert (Antarctica) 14,200,000 5,500,000

2 Arctic Desert (Arctic) 13,900,000 5,400,000

3 Sahara Desert (Africa) 9,100,000 3,500,000

4 Arabian Desert (Middle East) 2,600,000 1,000,000

5 Gobi Desert (Asia) 1,300,000 500,000

6 Patagonian Desert (South America) 670,000 260,000

7 Great Victoria Desert (Australia) 647,000 250,000

8 Kalahari Desert (Africa) 570,000 220,000

9 Great Basin Desert (North America) 490,000 190,000

10 Thar Desert (India, Pakistan) 450,000 175,000

Deserts of the world

In geography, an oasis (plural: oases)

or cienega (Southwestern United States) is an isolated area

of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or

similar water source. Oases also provide habitat for animals

and even humans if the area is big enough. The location of

oases has been of critical importance for trade and

transportation routes in desert areas. Caravans must travel

via oases so that supplies of water and food can be

replenished. Thus, political or military control of an oasis has

in many cases meant control of trade on a particular route.

Picture Of Oasis

Plants of Desert

Animals of Desert

Camel Scorpio

Lizard Snake

Fox

Dragon

Stepped Lizard

In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built either

by wind or water flow. Dunes occur in different forms and

sizes, formed by interaction with the flow of air or water.

Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side

where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a

shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind. The valley or

trough between dunes is called a slack. A "dune field" is

an area covered by extensive sand dunes. Large dune

fields are known as ergs.

Picture Of Sand Dunes