Largest Deserts In the World For General Awareness What are Deserts? A land area that is barren and where little precipitation occurs is known as desert. Any area that receives less than 10 inches, or 250 millimeters of precipitation are classified as a desert. ​ Candidates can expect 1 to 2 questions from this topic in exams which surely makes it important for them to go through the list of important deserts in the world. The list of largest deserts in the world is also available to download in PDF format for candidates convenience. Which is the largest desert in the World? The Antarctic Desert is the largest Desert in the world in ​ terms of its size. Antarctic Desert is the largest desert in the world, it is located in the southern hemisphere in the continent of Antarctica. It expands across 14,000,000 kilometres(5,500,000 square miles). Do you know which is the largest desert of India? Thar Desert is the largest desert in India also known as the Great Indian desert; it forms a natural boundary line between India and Pakistan. Similarly, the table below gives the list of 25 largest deserts in the world with its size and type along with its location in the world. List of Largest deserts in the World Important Type of Area (sq Area Deserts desert Location mi) (km²) Polar ice and Antarctica tundra Antarctica 5500000 14000000 Northern America (Alaska, Canada and Greenland) Northern Europe (Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) Eastern Europe (European Polar ice and Russia) Arctic tundra North Asia (Siberia) 5400000 13985000 North Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia) West Africa (Mali, Mauritania and Niger) Middle Africa (Chad) Sahara Subtropical East Africa (Eritrea) 3,300,000 9,000,000 Australian Desert Subtropical Australia 1000000 2700000 Western Asia (Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabian Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Desert Subtropical Yemen) 900000 2,330,000 Gobi Desert Cold Winter East Asia (China and Mongolia) 500000 1295000 Southern Africa (Botswana, Kalahari Namibia and South Africa) Desert Subtropical Middle Africa (Angola) 360000 900,000 Patagonian South America (Argentina and Desert Cold Winter Chile) 200000 620000 Western Asia (Iraq, Jordan, and Syrian Desert Subtropical Syria) 200000 520,000 Great Basin Cold Winter United States 190000 492,000 Chihuahuan Central America (Mexico) Desert Subtropical Northern America (United States) 175000 450,000 Karakum Desert Cold Winter Turkmenistan 135000 350,000 Colorado Plateau Cold Winter United States 130000 337,000 Sonoran Central America (Mexico) Desert Subtropical Northern America (United States) 120000 310,000 Kyzylkum Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Desert Cold Winter Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) 115000 300,000 Taklamakan Desert Cold Winter China 105000 270000 Indian Subcontinent (India and Thar Desert Subtropical Pakistan) 77000 200,000 Dasht-e Margo Subtropical Afghanistan 58000 150000 Registan Desert Subtropical Afghanistan 56400 146000 Atacama Desert Mild Coastal South America (Chile and Peru) 54000 140,000 Mojave Desert Subtropical United States 48000 124,000 Columbia Basin Cold Winter United States 32100 83,100 Southern Africa (Namibia) Namib Desert Cool Coastal Middle Africa (Angola) 31000 81,000 Dasht-e Kavir Subtropical Iran 30000 77,000 Dasht-e Loot Subtropical Iran 20100 52,000 Candidates preparing for competitive exams can check relevant articles for General Awareness section: Longest Bridges in India Famous Books and Authors Highest Mountains in the World Largest Libraries in the World List of Indian Navy Chief Admirals Longest Rivers Of The World Central Banks of different countries Important Boundaries & Lines of the World .