How much of Earth’s land is covered by deserts and steppe lands?
While it may not be a question that comes up often, there are many interesting facts to learn about desert and steppe lands. For example, they cover about 5% of the Earth’s surface area. Some deserts are uninhabitable, while others have been settled for centuries.
For example, the Sahara in Africa is a desert that has historically had one of the lowest population densities globally because it’s so hot and dry. But the Gobi Desert in Asia has a much higher density due to its cooler temperatures.
The largest desert on Earth by area is Antarctica which covers 98% of the continent’s surface area! The smallest desert – or at least what we think would be considered as such – would probably be Big Bend in Texas from our perspective here on Earth, but there may also be some small pockets on Mars too if they can ever figure out how to drill down deep enough into their terrain.. How many acres?
