Deserts cover about one-fifth of all land in the world.  There are deserts in parts of Africa, Asia, Australia, and North and South America.  See the map below for a view.

Most deserts lie between the two imaginary lines north and south of the equator, called the Tropic of cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. 

The Sahara Desert in northern Africa is the largest desert in the world.  It covers an area the size of the United States.

The Gobi Desert in eastern Asia is situated on high, windy, plains.  It is the coldest desert in the world.

Nearly half of Australia is covered by desert.

The Arabian desert is the sandiest desert in the world.

The Peruvian and Atacama deserts on the western coast of South America are the smallest desert regions of the world.

Many of the world's deserts are bordered by scrublands.  They can become true deserts if they lose their native trees and plants.