# Is the Sahara the largest desert on Earth?

> **Verdict: False** · evidence strength 99/100 · claim checked
> The Sahara is the largest hot desert, but Antarctica is the largest desert on Earth.

Published September 28, 2026, re-researched September 28, 2026 by FactsReef (Science). Canonical: https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/science/the-sahara-is-the-largest-hot-desert-not-the-largest-desert-a08301
Asked as: "Is the Sahara the largest desert on Earth?"

## The short answer
No—the Sahara is not the largest desert on Earth; Antarctica is larger, while the Sahara is the largest hot desert. National Geographic gives the Sahara as 9.4 million square kilometers and Antarctica as 14.2 million square kilometers, and Guinness makes the same distinction. [1, 3, 4]

## Key facts
- Antarctica is the largest desert on Earth at 14.2 million square kilometers (5.5 million square miles). [1, 4]
- The Sahara is 9.4 million square kilometers (3.6 million square miles) and is the largest hot desert. [1, 3]
- Guinness says the Sahara is “the largest hot desert, and the largest desert excluding polar regions.” [3]
- The U.S. Antarctic Program describes most of Antarctica as a “polar desert” and says it is very dry. [5]
- National Geographic notes that deserts can be rock, sand, salt flats, or even ice sheets. [1]

## What counts as a desert?
A desert is defined by how little precipitation it gets, not by whether it is hot or covered in sand. That is why Antarctica qualifies: its ice-covered interior is still a desert by climate, and major references treat it as the largest one on Earth. [1, 4, 5]

## Why people still call the Sahara the largest
People usually mean “largest hot desert” when they call the Sahara the biggest desert. That shorthand is common in reference sources, but it excludes polar deserts like Antarctica, which are larger overall. [1, 3, 4]

## Sources

1. [Deserts](https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/deserts/) — National Geographic Education
2. [Desert](https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/desert/) — National Geographic Education
3. [Largest desert](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-desert-cold) — Guinness World Records
4. [Largest hot desert](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-desert) — Guinness World Records
5. [The USAP Portal: Science and Support in Antarctica - About the Continent](https://www.usap.gov/aboutthecontinent/) — U.S. Antarctic Program
6. [Chapter 6: Living and Working at USAP Facilities](https://usap.gov/USAPgov/travelAndDeployment/documents/ParticipantGuide-Chapter6.pdf) — U.S. Antarctic Program

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