List of deserts by area
Rank Name Type Area ( km² ) Area ( sq mi ) Location
1 Antarctica Polar ice and tundra 14,000,000 14,000,000 05,400,000 5,500,000 Antarctica
2 Arctic Polar ice and tundra 13,985,000 5,400,000 Northern America ( Alaska , Canada and Greenland ) Northern Europe ( Finland , Iceland , Norway and Sweden ) Eastern Europe ( European Russia ) North Asia ( Siberia )
3 Sahara Subtropical 12,000,000 9,000,000+ 03,300,000 3,300,000+ North Africa ( Algeria , Egypt , Libya , Morocco , Sudan and Tunisia ) West Africa ( Mali , Mauritania and Niger ) Middle Africa ( Chad ) East Africa ( Eritrea )
4 Australian Desert Subtropical 02,700,000 2,700,000 01,000,000 1,000,000 Australia
5 Arabian Desert Subtropical 02,330,000 2,330,000 00,900,000 900,000 Western Asia ( Iraq , Jordan , Kuwait , Oman , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , United Arab Emirates and Yemen )
6 Gobi Desert Cold Winter 01,300,000 1,295,000 00,500,000 500,000 East Asia ( China and Mongolia )
7 Kalahari Desert Subtropical 00,900,000 900,000 00,360,000 360,000 Southern Africa ( Botswana , Namibia and South Africa ) Middle Africa ( Angola )
8 Patagonian Desert Cold Winter 00,673,000 620,000 00,260,000 200,000 South America ( Argentina and Chile )
9 Syrian Desert Subtropical 00,520,000 520,000 00,200,000 200,000 Western Asia ( Iraq , Jordan , and Syria )
10 Great Basin Cold Winter 00,492,000 492,000 00,190,000 190,000 United States
11 Chihuahuan Desert Subtropical 00,450,000 450,000 00,175,000 175,000 Central America ( Mexico ) Northern America ( United States )
12 Karakum Desert Cold Winter 00,350,000 350,000 00,135,000 135,000 Turkmenistan
13 Colorado Plateau Cold Winter 00,337,000 337,000 00,130,000 130,000 United States
14 Sonoran Desert Subtropical 00,310,000 310,000 00,120,000 120,000 Central America ( Mexico ) Northern America ( United States )
15 Kyzylkum Desert Cold Winter 00,300,000 300,000 00,115,000 115,000 Central Asia ( Kazakhstan , Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan )
16 Taklamakan Desert Cold Winter 00,270,000 270,000 00,105,000 105,000 China
17 Thar Desert Subtropical 00,200,000 200,000 00,077,000 77,000 Indian Subcontinent ( India and Pakistan )
18 Dasht-e Margo Subtropical 00,150,000 150,000 00,058,000 58,000 Afghanistan
19 Registan Desert Subtropical 00,146,000 146,000 00,056,400 56,400 Afghanistan
20 Atacama Desert Mild Coastal 00,140,000 140,000 00,054,000 54,000 South America ( Chile and Peru )
Wikipedia list article The largest deserts in the world by area . It includes all deserts above 50,000 square kilometres ( 19,300 sq mi ) . Some of Earth 's biggest deserts
This is the list of the largest deserts in the world by area. It includes all deserts above
50,000 square kilometres (19,300 sq mi).