Top 12 Largest Deserts in the World

When people hear the word 'desert,' they often picture the scorching sands of the Sahara. However, the Antarctic Desert claims the top spot globally with a staggering 14.2 million square kilometers. More than just a barren expanse, it is the world's largest reservoir of freshwater, holding approximately 70% of the planet's supply. Intriguingly, despite being an 'icy desert,' its inland regions are so arid that they receive less annual precipitation than parts of the Sahara. If you combine the Antarctic Desert with the second-ranked Arctic Desert, they encompass an area so vast that they dwarf most other terrestrial ecosystems, effectively challenging the common misconception that a desert must be covered in sand.