What is the largest desert in the world?

The largest desert in the world is the Sahara Desert. It spans a vast area of approximately 3.6 million square miles (9.2 million square kilometers) across North Africa, making it not only the largest hot desert but also the largest overall desert. Deserts are defined by their low precipitation, and the Sahara fits this definition with its extremely arid conditions.

The Gobi, Kalahari, and Arabian deserts, while significant in their own rights, are smaller in size compared to the Sahara. The Gobi Desert, located in northern China and southern Mongolia, covers around 1.3 million square kilometers. The Kalahari Desert, found in Southern Africa, is also sizable but is roughly 900,000 square kilometers. The Arabian Desert, covering parts of the Arabian Peninsula, reaches approximately 2.3 million square kilometers. Each of these deserts has its unique features and ecosystems, but none match the overarching area of the Sahara, which firmly establishes it as the largest desert in the world.