GREAT BASING DESERT

LARGEST DESERT IN THE UNITED STATES

Local Scale

The Great Basin Desert is the largest desert in the United States. It is a cold desert caused
by the shadows of the Sierra Nevada. It has an extension of 190,000 square miles and its
largest part covers most of Nevada, it also covers the western third of Utah, and some parts
of Idaho and Oregon.
The vegetation of the Great Basin desert is dominated by spinifex, sagebrush, and saltbush.
The animals living on this deserted region include; feral camels, dingos, goannas and
numerous species of lizard. Other common animal inhabitants include bilbies, mulgara,
marsupial mole, rufous hare, thorny devils, bearded dragons, and red kangaroo.
The bird-life found within the desert includes the rare Alexandras parrot, the mulga
parrot, the scarlet chested parrot and other common birds.

Sources: http://www.desertusa.com/great-basin-desert.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Basin_Desert

NORTH AMERICAN DESERTS

Regional Scale

Great Basing Desert: Largest Desert in the United States with a territorial extension of 190,000
square with its largest part located in Nevada, it also covers part of Oregon, Idaho, and Utah.
The Mojave Desert covers 25,000 squares miles. A portion of South Nevada, Southwestern Utah,
eastern California, and Arizona. This desert joins with the great Basin, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan
deserts forming the North American Desert.
The Mojave desert includes a wide variety of flora and fauna: the most prominent
vegetation are the wide variety of cacti and Joshua tree. The most notable among the desert wildlife
is the California desert tortoise.
The Sonoran Desert covers parts of the states of California and Arizona and the Mexican
state of Sonora. It is one of the largest deserts in North America, with an area of 120,000 square
miles. The Sonoran desert includes a variety of flora and fauna: its most predominant are the
Saguaro cactus and the kangaroo rat.
The Chihuhuan Desert is the largest desert in north America covering more than 200,000 squares
miles in the international border of USA and Mexico. It covers parts of New Mexico, Texas, and
sections of southeastern Arizona. Winter temperatures are cool, but summer temperatures are
extremely high. The dominant vegetation is shrub, yuccas and agaves are also dominant is this
desert. And Mexican gray wolf are present in the chihuahuan desert.
Sources: http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Mojave_Desert
http://www.desertusa.com/chihuahuan-desert.html

DESERTS OF THE WORLD

Global Scale

These are the 23 largest deserts in the world including areas greater than 19,300 square
miles. The dominant climate in most of the deserts in the world is subtropical with 14
deserts; followed by cold winter climate with 7 deserts and cool coastal climate with 2
deserts.
North American Desert: Great Basin with cold winter climate, Mojave with subtropical
climate, Sonoran with subtropical climate, Colorado Plateau with cold winter desert, and
Chihuahuan desert with subtropical climate.
South American Desert: Patagonian with cold winter climate and Atacama with cool coastal
climate
North and Southern Africa Deserts: Sahara desert with subtropical climate, Namib with cool
coastal climate, and Kalahari with subtropical climate.
Western, east, Central, and South Asia Deserts: Arabian with subtropical climate, Gobi with
cold winter climate, Syrian with Subtropical climate, Karakum with cold winter climate, Kyzyl
Kum with cold winter climate, Taklamakan with cold winter climate, Thar with subtropical
climate, Dasht-e Kavir with subtropical climate, and Dasht-e Lut desert with subtropical
climate.
Australian Deserts: Gibson with subtropical climate, Great Victoria with subtropical climate,
Great Sandy with subtropical climate, and Simpson with subtropical
Screencast:

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deserts_by_area
http://www.mapsofworld.com/