Desert biomes are the driest of all the biomes. In fact, the most important characteristic of a desert is that it receives very little rainfall. Most deserts receive less than 300 mm a year compared to rainforests, which receive over 2,000 mm.

The Earth Observatory shares images and stories about the environment, Earth systems, and climate that emerge from NASA research, satellite missions, and models.

Oct 19, 2023 · The desert biome covers about one-fifth of Earth’s surface. This biome has a layer of soil that can either be sandy, gravelly, or stony, depending on the type of desert. Deserts usually get at most 50 centimeters (20 inches) of rainfall a year, and the organisms that live in deserts are adapted to this extremely dry climate.

Mar 14, 2025 · Use this map layer to visualize the characteristics of Earth’s biomes, such as forests, grasslands, mangroves, and ice.

Sep 14, 2020 · On this page you’ll find facts on the desert biome, including: desert characteristics, the different types of desert, and the typical animal and plant species found in deserts.

Explore our Deserts Map with National Geographic.

Desert biomes are classified into four, with each having their own unique features, but have great similarity regarding living and nonliving composition. They include hot and dry deserts, semi-arid deserts, coastal deserts and cold deserts.

Deserts cover more than one-fifth of the Earth’s land area and are located on every continent. Hot deserts are mainly found around the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.

Map of World Desert Ecoregions. This map shows desert ecoregions around the world. To see their names and types, hover over the map. Zoom in the map to take a closer look! For more information scroll down.

Jun 20, 2024 · World Deserts with images. Web Map by GaDOE_SocialStudies_Atlas. More Details...