Deserts

Sand Dunes Photo courtesy PDPhoto.org

Deserts are dry areas that experience extremely small amounts of rainfall.

One of the biggest misconceptions about deserts is that they are all hot. The amount of rainfall, not temperature, determines whether or not an area is a desert. Deserts typically receive less than 30 cm of rain per year.

Deserts can be either hot or cold. Some of the cold deserts even experience occasional snowfall.

Deserts are found in such locations as central Australia, north Africa, central Asia, and even Antarctica.

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