The largest desert in the United States is the Great Basin Desert, which occupies 190,000 square miles and is bordered to the west by the Sierra Nevada mountain range and to the east by the Rocky Mountains. The Great Basin Desert is referred to as a cold desert, and receives snow because of the area's high elevation. Among the plants that call the area home are the sagebrush and blackbrush, though few cacti exist there. Animals such as the pygmy rabbit and bighorn sheep can be found throughout the Great Basin Desert.
Occupying parts of Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and Mexico, the Chihuahuan Desert is the largest desert in North America. At 175,000 square miles (larger than California), the desert developed because of the blockage of moisture from the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico by surrounding mountain ranges, including the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental. Though certainly dry and hot, this desert features several oases, which are areas of the desert that are fertile thanks to the presence of water springing from below. The largest of these is Cuatro Cienegas, which welcomes wildlife not commonly found in the desert, such as fish and turtles. Throughout the remainder of the desert, shrubs including mesquite, agave and ocotillo are present.
Distinguishable from other North American deserts because of the existence of legume trees and cacti, the Sonoran Desert measures approximately 100,000 square miles. Located in Arizona, California and Sonora, Mexico, this desert has several distinct areas. Within the Lower Colorado River Valley, the largest area of the Sonoran Desert, temperatures can exceed 120 degrees and less than three inches of rain fall each year. In contrast, the Arizona Upland region experiences hard frost and is the coldest section of the desert. Animals found throughout the Sonoran include the bobcat, scorpion, coyote, tarantula and cactus wren.
The Sahara Desert covers one-third of the continent of Africa, and is the world's largest desert. Averaging less than three inches of rain a year, the Sahara features many oases that provide water and places for travelers to rest. These oases make the Sahara passable and help make trade possible in the region. Sand dunes comprise approximately 15 percent of the Sahara Desert, while 70 percent of the area is occupied by rocky plains of stone and gravel. The remainder of the desert is occupied by mountain ranges. Animals that can be found in the Sahara Desert include rodents, scorpions, camels and the horned viper.
Located in Asia, the Gobi Desert is the fourth-largest desert in the world: Covering part of China and Mongolia, the Gobi desert covers 500,000 square miles. Only three percent of the desert is sandy, with the remainder being occupied by gravel plains and rocky terrain. The Gobi receives two to eight inches of rain a year. Among the interesting facts about the Gobi Desert is the discovery of dinosaur fossils there. Hundreds of dinosaur fossils have been discovered in the Gobi, and more are believed to be in existence, some dating back 80 million years. Bactrian camels, antelopes, wild horses and the only desert-dwelling bear call the Gobi Desert home.
