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How can a desert be interesting right? It’s just a
big place full of…nothing. Well, that’s what you think. And that’s why
this list is going to be pretty interesting for you. For one, do you
know where the biggest desert in the world is? Depending on where you
live and how geographically aware you are, you’re probably thinking Asia
(the Middle East), Africa (for those of you who know where the Sahara
is), or Australia (basically the whole continent right?). But you’re all
wrong. The world’s biggest desert is actually…well, we don’t want to
give it away. We will however give you a hint: deserts aren’t
necessarily places covered in sand. As you’ll see in a moment, barely
20% of the Sahara Desert is sand. Most of it is gravel, mountains, and
rock. Moreover, deserts are defined by the level of precipitation they
receive. Take a guess and see if you’re right by reading these some
interesting tidbits about deserts that will make you glad for rain!
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One third of the Earth's surface area is desert (at least partially)
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There is a desert in Alaska with dunes
over 45 meters high (150 feet). It is known as the Great Kobuk Sand
Dunes.
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Over 100,000 square km of land turn to desert each year due to climate
change and forest clearing
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Less than 20% of the Sahara desert is sand. The rest is mostly gravel,
rock, and mountains. |
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Lebanon is the only country in the Middle East that doesn't contain a
desert
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According to the UN, roughly 1 billion people in over 100 countries are
threatened by desertification
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The Sahara Desert stretches farther than the distance between Los
Angeles and New York City
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In some parts of the Atacama Desert in Chile, rain has never been
recorded. It may come as no surprise then that it is considered the
driest place on Earth
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The largest desert in the world is actually Antarctica
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If you get lost in the desert and need water, a cactus
may not be your friend. First of all, you'll need a machete to cut it
open, and second of all, many species are poisonous
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Roughly 2,500 square kilometers of land in China turns
to desert every year. This causes dust storms in other parts of the
world
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Gerhard Knies, a German physicist, calculated that in only 6 hours the
Earth's deserts absorb more energy from the sun than all of humanity
uses in a year. Now we just have to figure out how to harness that…
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There are 30 countries (mostly in Africa) that have 75% or more of their
land covered in desert
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Although it is the world's largest desert, Antarctica also holds 75% of
the world's fresh water!
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