Types of Deserts Explained: Not All Deserts Are Hot

Tap a desert type to see its defining features.

Hot Desert

Sahara Desert. The type most people picture — sand-covered land that's extremely hot during the day and turns sharply cold at night.

Cold Desert

Gobi Desert. Shares the trait of low rainfall, but stays cool or cold for most of the year.

Coastal Desert

Atacama Desert. A distinctive desert type shaped by cold ocean currents, with frequent fog but almost no actual rainfall.

Polar Desert

Antarctica. An extremely cold and dry region with rainfall low enough to meet desert criteria — covered in ice, but technically classified as a desert.

Semi-Arid Desert

North America's Great Basin. A transitional zone with slightly more rainfall than a true desert, allowing sparse shrubs and grasses to grow.

A Desert Is Defined by "Dryness," Not "Heat"

Many people picture a desert as nothing but a hot expanse of sand, but the real criterion that defines a desert is extremely low annual rainfall. By that standard, the Antarctic continent qualifies as the largest desert on Earth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it really true that Antarctica is a desert?

Yes — some inland regions of Antarctica receive less than 50mm of rainfall per year, which by area makes it the largest desert on Earth.

Can living things survive in deserts?

Yes — a wide range of plants and animals have evolved specialized adaptations to survive on extremely little water, each suited to its particular desert type.