You Gotta Know These Deserts

Antarctica

Largest desert, classified due to low precipitation.

Vinson Massif

Tallest mountain in Antarctica.

Mount Erebus

Active volcano located in Antarctica.

Ross Ice Shelf

Floating ice shelf in Antarctica.

Roald Amundsen

First explorer to reach the South Pole in 1911.

Robert Scott

Reached South Pole a month after Amundsen; died returning.

Ernest Shackleton

Abandoned ship Endurance during Antarctic crossing attempt.

Sahara Desert

World's second largest desert, largest hot desert.

Atlas Mountains

Mountain range bounding northern Sahara.

Sahel

Savannah strip bounding southern Sahara.

Atacama Desert

Driest hot desert, located in Chile.

War of the Pacific

Conflict over Atacama's nitrate resources (1879-1883).

Kalahari Desert

Large region with red sand and game reserves.

San Bushmen

Indigenous people of the Kalahari Desert.

Mojave Desert

Contains Death Valley, lowest point in North America.

Joshua tree

Iconic plant species of the Mojave Desert.

Gobi Desert

Asia's second largest desert, known for Silk Road.

Rub' al-Khali

Also known as Empty Quarter, inhospitable desert.

Ghawar

World's largest oil field located in Rub' al-Khali.

Namib Desert

Oldest desert, known for Welwitschia plants.

Painted Desert

Colorful rock formations in Northern Arizona.

Negev Desert

Covers southern half of Israel.

Taklamakan Desert

Cold sandy desert, splits Silk Road branches.

Great Sandy Desert

Ninth largest desert, located in Western Australia.