The Antarctic Desert is the largest desert on Earth. Measuring 14.2 million km2 (5.5 million sq mi), Antarctica\u2019s vast desert covers the entire continent. Even though Antarctica is covered in ice and is generally very cold, it is considered a desert because it is so dry and receives so little precipitation in relation to its size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although the Sahara is often referred to as the largest desert in the world it is actually the largest hot desert, whereas Antarctica is the largest desert in the world of any type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Antarctica is a polar desert. On average, Antarctica receives only about 150 mm (6 in) of water in the form of precipitation each year. Some higher interior regions of the continent, however, receive as little as 50 mm (2 in) per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Precipitation falls on the continent as snow or ice crystals. The cold dry air over the Antarctic Plateau contains very little moisture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite being one of the driest places on Earth Antarctica is almost entirely covered in ice. Its interior is so cold that much of the snow that falls there does not melt, and instead it builds up and compacts over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A \u201cpolar desert\u201d which has enormous amounts of frozen water in it \u2013 it seems a contradiction!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Antarctica is a big place. It covers nearly 14 million square kilometers (around 5.38 million square miles). The British Antarctic Survey quotes the total area of the continent including islands and ice shelves as 13,942,065 km2 and the Antarctic Desert covers around 14.2 million km2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Much of the continent is covered by the Antarctic Ice Sheet, the single largest mass of ice in the world. The National Snow and Ice Data Center estimates that the ice sheet contains approximately 30 million km3 of ice (7.2 million mi3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The coldest continent on Earth, Antarctica has temperatures ranging from relatively mild in the coastal regions to very cold in the high interior. The lowest recorded temperature on Earth was -89.2\u00b0C (-128.6\u00b0F) at Vostok Station on July 21, 1983.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Antarctic Desert is found on the continent of Antarctica, surrounding the South Pole. The whole of Antarctica is found almost entirely within the Antarctic Circle and is encircled by the Southern Ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Antarctica is generally considered to be made up of East Antarctica and West Antarctica, with the massive Transantarctic Mountains running between them. The Antarctic Peninsula extends northwards from the Antarctic mainland to South America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In contrast to the Arctic, Antarctica is a large continent which is mostly covered by ice and is surrounded by ocean. The Arctic is centered on an ocean which is bounded by the northern parts of North America, Europe and Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The vast expanse of the Antarctic Desert is mostly seen as it is \u2013 huge and covered in ice and snow. Find out more about the biggest desert in the world in the video below, including its location, size and climate, and find out why Antarctica is considered a desert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n