A desert is a barren area of land where little precipitation occurs and consequently living conditions are

hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground
to the processes of denudation. About one third of the land surface of the world is arid or semi-arid. This
includes much of the polar regions where little precipitation occurs and which are sometimes called
"cold deserts". Deserts can be classified by the amount of precipitation that falls, by the temperature
that prevails, by the causes of desertification or by their geographical location.

Plants and animals living in the desert need special adaptations to survive in the harsh environment.
Plants tend to be tough and wiry with small or no leaves, water-resistant cuticles and often spines to
deter herbivory.

Animals need to keep cool and find enough food and water to survive. Many are nocturnal and stay in
the shade or underground during the heat of the day. They tend to be efficient at conserving water,
extracting most of their needs from their food and concentrating their urine. Some animals remain in a
state of dormancy for long periods, ready to become active again when the rare rains fall. They then
reproduce rapidly while conditions are favorable before returning to dormancy.

There are a number of different definitions to describe a desert but they are typically areas that
receive extremely low amounts of rain.
Deserts generally receive less than 40cm (16in) of rain a year.
Around one third of the Earth's surface is covered in deserts.
The original meaning of the word desert is 'an abandoned place'.
Many of the ice free regions of the Arctic and Antarctic are known as polar deserts.
Only around 20% of the deserts on Earth are covered in sand.
Areas covered in ice or snow can sometimes be called 'cold deserts', compared to 'hot deserts'
in warmer areas.
The largest cold desert on Earth is Antarctica.
The largest hot desert on Earth is the Sahara.
The Sahara Desert is located in northern Africa, spanning 12 different countries.
The Arabian Desert in the Middle East is the second largest hot desert on Earth but is
substantially smaller than the Sahara.
Other large deserts include the Gobi Desert in Asia, the Kalahari Desert in Africa, the Patagonian
Desert in South America, the Great Victoria Desert in Australia, the Syrian Desert in the Middle
East and the Great Basin Desert in North America.
The Gobi Desert is located in the north of China and the south of Mongolia. It is growing at a fast
rate due to desertification, a process that turns fertile lands into desert areas. It is caused by
humans cutting down forests, droughts, climate change and other environmental factors.
Located in South America, the Atacama Desert is the driest place in the world.
Hot deserts usually feature high temperatures in the daytime and cold temperatures at night.
Deserts have very low humidity.
Despite the extreme conditions, deserts are home to a range of well suited plant life including
various shrubs and cacti. They are also home to animals such as lizards and coyote.
 With lack of water, high daytime temperatures and sometimes freezing conditions at night,
deserts can be extremely dangerous places for humans.
Shallow, salty lakes can form temporarily from time to time in deserts.
Deserts often contain large mineral deposits.
Deserts can be good locations to farm solar energy.

The desert biome is an ecosystem that forms due to the low level of rainfall it receives each year.
Deserts cover about 20% of the Earth. There are four major types of desert in this biome - hot and dry,
semiarid, coastal, and cold. They are all able to inhabit plant and animal life that are able to survive
there.

Interesting Desert Biome Facts:

Although the daytime temperatures of the desert biome are very hot, they can get very cold at night.

The Sahara Desert is the largest desert in the desert biome. It covers over 300 million square miles.

The vegetation does not grow very tall so the desert biome can only accommodate small animals,
rodents, and reptiles. These animals can escape the harsh Sun by hiding under small scrubs or hiding in
burrows.

Many desert animals tend to be nocturnal, sleeping during the day and coming out at night when the
temperatures are more tolerable.

Because there is hardly any standing water in the desert biome, animals either store water in their
bodies or get their water needs met by the foods they eat.

Dust storms occur when the wind picks up dust from the surface. These storms can be up to 1 mile high
and travel over a hundred miles.

The plants that are able to grow in the desert biome store water in their stem. They normally grow
spaced out so that their roots can extend and find water.

Some deserts are so hot that when it rains, the water evaporates in the air before ever hitting the
ground.

There are some deserts in Antarctica that are known as cold deserts. They are considered deserts
because of the small amount of vegetation that grows there.

The driest desert on Earth receives on average 1 centimeter of rainfall every 5 to 20 years.

Because body fat retains heat, most desert animals have an adaptation that allows them to store all
their body fat in one area of their body. The camel stores all its body fat in its hump.

Cacti have many adaptions to survive in the desert. Their spines protect them from being eaten by
animals and their waxy outer covering keeps moisture from escaping.

Cold deserts (like in Antarctica) have very little plants and grasses. The ones they do have only grow
during the summer.
The desert biome is actually a big tourist attraction. People enjoy rock climbing, dirt biking, and hiking in
the desert.

The desert biome can be found on every continent except Europe.