The largest desert in the world by area is **Antarctica**. Many people are surprised to hear this because when we think of deserts, we often imagine hot, sandy places like the Sahara. But in science, a desert is not defined by temperature — it is defined by how much rain or snow falls there.

A desert is a place that gets very little precipitation, which means very little water in the form of rain or snow. Antarctica is a cold desert, but it gets less than 50 millimeters of water a year. That is even less than most hot deserts.

Antarctica covers about **14 million square kilometers**, making it the largest desert in the world. It is located at the South Pole and is completely covered with ice. Even though it looks white and frozen, it is still a desert because it is very dry.

The second-largest desert in the world is the **Arctic Desert**, also a cold desert. The **Sahara Desert**, which is very hot and located in North Africa, comes third in size. It covers about **9 million square kilometers**.

There are no permanent human residents in Antarctica, but scientists from different countries live there in research stations. They study the weather, climate change, animals, and the ice sheets. The cold and dry conditions make Antarctica one of the most difficult places to live, but it is very important for science.

So, to remember easily: deserts can be hot or cold. What makes them deserts is how dry they are, not how hot. Antarctica is the coldest and driest place on Earth — and that is why it is the **largest desert in the world**.