How much of the Earth's land surface do deserts take up?

A desert is a barren area of landscape 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.

Deserts take up about one-third of the Earth's land surface. Bottomlands may be salt-covered flats. Eolian processes are major factors in shaping desert landscapes. Polar deserts (also seen as "cold deserts") have similar features, except the main form of precipitation is snow rather than rain.

Antarctica is the world's largest cold desert (composed of about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock). Some of the barren rock is to be found in the so-called Dry Valleys of Antarctica that almost never get snow, which can have ice-encrusted saline lakes that suggest evaporation far greater than the rare snowfall due to the strong katabatic winds that even evaporate ice.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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8 Comments

Richard D. Boyle

Seems like a large percentage until we take Antarctica into consideration and realize how big it really is. That “cold desert” is much larger than Europe and nearly twice the size of. Australia.

Louella Wilson

Andrew Walsh, the question relates to LAND surface. Not total Earth's surface.

Christopher J Voce

Easily believable when you factor Australia and Antarctica. I think Australia has about 3% arable land - which is why most of us live on the coast.

Tal Segal

A definition of what a desert is, would be helpful. Thus, here is the definition: a place that receives less than 25 centimeters (10 inches) of rain per year is considered a desert.

fdeisner

Jeff Kates, Please re-read the question slowly and see if you do not want to change the your comment after seeing the words "Earth's land surface".

Dennis Walker

The answer seems correct. Supposedly 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by the oceans and approximately 30% is land OF WHICH 33% is desert Anyone who disagrees may have mis-read the question.