What is the largest desert in the world?

The largest desert in the world is the Antarctic Desert, which is classified as a polar desert. However, when considering the largest hot desert, the Sahara Desert is recognized as the most expansive. It spans approximately 9.2 million square kilometers across North Africa, making it the largest hot desert globally.

In contrast, the other deserts listed are significant in their own rights but do not match the size of the Sahara. The Patagonian Desert, primarily in Argentina, is the largest desert in Argentina but is considerably smaller than the Sahara. The Arabian Desert, located on the Arabian Peninsula, is vast as well but also smaller than the Sahara. The Gobi Desert, stretching through northern China and southern Mongolia, is another substantial desert, yet it, too, falls short of the area covered by the Sahara. Hence, the Sahara holds the title of the largest desert when considering hot deserts specifically.