Antartica is the world's largest desert

The term 'desert' does not just refer to endless sand and a glaring hot sun. There are various subtypes, and all of them involve an extreme temperature and a barren landscape. One subtype of desert is the polar desert, an area devoid of life where there is ice instead of sand and freezing cold winds instead of boiling hot temperatures. This makes Antarctica a polar desert, and at over 5.5 million square miles, it also takes the title of the largest desert in the world, beating out the Sahara desert for the top spot.