1-3. present average temperature ~+15 o C GREENHOUSE and HOTHOUSE ICEHOUSE Earth had warmer than today climate for most (~80%) of its history that was interrupted by ice ages in Early and Late . Trees and other vegetation are being planted to break the force of the wind and to hold the soil. Alternatively, for the purposes of agricultural statistics, the term often has a more precise definition: Arable land is the land under temporary agricultural crops (multiple-cropped areas are counted only once), temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market . This process, known as desertification, is not caused by drought, but usually arises from deforestation and the demands of human populations that settle in semiarid lands. The data produced by third parties and made available by Our World in Data is subject to the license terms from the original third-party authors. The suns rays beat down through cloudless skies and bake the land. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. The Rocks Breathe Sedimentary rock carbon pool: larger than ocean, land, atmospheric pools Most organic carbon in sedimentary rocks is kerogen Diluted fossil fuel solid form Urey reaction: how carbon is cycled between atmosphere and solid earth Given by: CaSiO 3 + CO 2 CaCO 3 + SiO 2 CaSiO 3 is silicate rock (Earth's bedrock), form . Climate scientists predict that global warming will lead to more rainfall in some regions, but less rainfall in other places. This is around one-quarter (26%) of total (both habitable and uninhabitable) land area. You have permission to use, distribute, and reproduce these in any medium, provided the source and authors are credited. But the region can go decades without rainfall. Heres how different cold and flu drugs work, This desert oasis is a time capsule of Egypts grand past, This mysterious son of a witch founded Glasgow, Singapores art and culture scene is a love letter to its city, An adventure across Abu Dhabis diverse landscapes. The largest hot desert is the Sahara desert, in northern Africa, covering 9 million square kilometers. The Sahara Desert crept 100 kilometers (39 miles) south between 1950 and 1975. The need to find food and water has led many desert civilizations to become nomadic. They define a tree as a plant with woody stems larger than 10 cm diameter at breast height (DBH). The extent to which people have made changes to the land, the number of animal species lost from. Desert are any region on Earth that can have a moisture deficit over the course of a year.Jun 1 2010 Earth, third planet from the Sun and the fifth largest planet in the solar system in terms of size and mass. This is roughly equal to the area of Spain. In all deserts, there is little water available for plants and other organisms.Deserts are found on every continent and cover about one-fifth of Earths land area. How much of the earths surface is forested? If all of the world's water was poured on the contiguous United States, it would cover the land to a depth of about 107 miles (145 kilometers). If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. There are many great reasons to buy land, but it's very possible to buy a tract that doesn't suit your needs or desires. Earth's surface gained 115,000 km 2 of water and 173,000 km 2 of land over the past 30 years, including 20,135 km 2 of water and 33,700 km 2 of land in coastal areas. Rising from the AshesThe desert city of Phoenix, Arizona, is named for the mythical desert bird that burns to death only to be reborn, rising from its own ashes. Far from being barren wastelands, deserts are biologically rich habitats with a vast array of animals and plants that have adapted to the harsh conditions there. And among insects, the Namibian desert beetle can harvest fog from the air for water. Antarctica boasts the lowest official temperature recorded on Earth: -89.2 C (-128.6 F), recorded on July 21, 1983. However, the LSA changes induced by global vegetation greening are still not clear, and contrasting responses of LSA to vegetation changes were . Hot and Cold DesertsThe largest hot desert in the world is the Sahara, which is 9 million square kilometers (3.5 million square miles). The air then cools and forms clouds that drop moisture on the windward (wind-facing) slopes. Plants grow, bloom, produce new seeds, and die, often in a short span of time. An abundance of rain in California has set the stage for an epic sea of flowers this spring. Between 8000 and 3000 BCE, for example, the Sahara had a much milder, moister climate. Heres how to save yours from ending up in a landfill. The rest is water in the form of vast oceans. Camels can go for weeks without water, and their nostrils and eyelashes can form a barrier against sand. The area used for livestock farming in particular is equal in area to the worlds forests. Imagine a world without water. Groundwater comes from rain or other precipitation, like snow or hail. A place that receives less than 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain per year is considered a desert. Atacama Desert - 140,000 sq miles (363,000 sq kilometers) in northern Chile. Local desert communities can divert rivers on a smaller scale. They are found along the Tropic of Cancer, between 15 and 30 degrees north of the Equator, or along the Tropic of Capricorn, between 15 and 30 degrees south of the Equator.Hot, moist air rises into the atmosphere near the Equator. Some animals, like the desert tortoise in the southwestern United States, spend much of their time underground. Long-sleeved, full-length, and often white, these robes shield all but the head and hands from the wind, sand, heat, and cold. Global warming threatens to change the ecology of deserts: Higher temperatures may produce more wildfires that alter desert landscapes by eliminating slow-growing trees and shrubs and replacing them with fast-growing grasses.Many desert plants can live for hundreds of years. What are the four major types of desert? But in California, the iconic Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia)the oldest found was 1,000 years oldmay not survive a hotter climate, scientists warn. Agreements that were made in the early 20th century failed to account for Native American water rights. We see that Europe dominated by forests across Russia holds the greatest share of global forests. More than 30 percent of the grasslands of Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia are faced with desertification.People often overuse natural resources to survive and profit in the short term, while neglecting long-term sustainability. WWII soldiers accidentally discovered this ancient royal tomb, Why some people celebrate Christmas in January. Archaeologists in the Sahara have been unsuccessfully looking for the Lost Army of Cambyses ever since.Water in the DesertRain is usually the main source of water in a desert, but it falls very rarely. They are home to around 1 billion peopleone-sixth of the Earths population.Although the word desert may bring to mind a sea of shifting sand, dunes cover only about 10 percent of the worlds deserts. The thorny devil, a lizard that lives in the Australian Outback, has a system of tiny grooves and channels on its body that lead to its mouth. If they don't survive, that could affect species such as the yucca moth, which lays its eggs inside the Joshua tree flower. Some animals, like the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizzi) in the southwestern United States, spend much of their time underground. Total surface area of earth: 510,072,000 sq km Total water surface area: 70.8% (361,132,000 sq km) Total land surface area: 29.2% (148,940,000 sq km) There are a total of 5 oceans, and they are the Arctic, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and the Antarctic Ocean. There are over 510 million square kilometers of area on the surface of Earth but less than 30% of this is covered by land. Despite the common conceptions of deserts as hot, there are cold deserts as well. She is Queen of 32 countries, head of a Commonwealth of 54 countries in which a quarter of the world's population lives, and legal owner of about 6.6 billion acres of land, one-sixth of the earth's land surface. About four billion tons end up in the atmosphere and two billion tons dissolve in the ocean. Subtracting this uninhabitable 57% (32 665 981 mi 2) from the total land area leaves 24 642 757 square miles or 15.77 billion acres of habitable land. When the air moves over the mountaintop and begins to descend the leeward slopes, there is little moisture left. Deserts are divided into these types according to the causes of their dryness.Subtropical DesertsSubtropical deserts are caused by the circulation patterns of air masses. All rights reserved, National Geographic Environment: Desert Landscapes. South Africa is losing 300-400 million metric tons (330-441 short tons) of topsoil each year.Many countries are working to reduce the rates of desertification. This leaves what we call 'habitable land'. Other subtropical deserts include the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa and the Tanami Desert in northern Australia.Coastal DesertsCold ocean currents contribute to the formation of coastal deserts. Daytime temperatures in the Chihuahua can climb beyond 37C (100F), while nighttime temperatures can dip below freezing (0C or 32F). Tent walls are made of thick, sturdy cloth that can keep out sand and dust, but also allow cool breezes to blow through. Rapidly expanding populations in California, Nevada, and Arizona have compounded the problem. Newsletter. Drilling into aquifers provides water for drinking, agriculture, industry, and hygiene. Apr 20, 2021. The resulting cooler, drier air mass moves away from the Equator. The resulting fences break the force of the wind at ground level, stopping dune movement by confining the sand within the squares of the grid.New technologies are also being developed to combat desertification. All of North America and continental Europe is situated in the Northern Hemisphere, as well as parts of Asia, Africa, and South America. And in Africa's Sahel region, bordered by the Sahara Desert to the north and savannas to the south, population growth has caused an increase in wood harvesting, illegal farming, and land-clearing for housing, among other changes. In areas where vegetation is dense, the land surface temperature never rises above 35 degrees Celsius. Global warming is the most current instance of climate change. Some of the world's semi-arid regions are turning into desert at an alarming rate. We previously looked at total forest area across the world. Camels can go for weeks without water, and their nostrils and eyelashes can form a barrier against sand. Weve written many articles about deserts for Universe Today. What activities are driving this? Desert plants have adapted to go without fresh water for long stretches of time. which lays its eggs inside the Joshua tree flower. 26,959 Hypes. However, flash floods take more lives in deserts than thirst does.
The yellow bloom of a prickly pear cactus brightens this view of a California desert. Some areas of the Atacama are often covered by fog. Sea level reached its current height about 8 000 years ago and has fluctuated ever since. This interactive map shows each countrys share of global forest area. The fennec fox, for example, is native to the Sahara Desert. In the course of these activities, trees and other vegetation are cleared away, animal hooves pound the dirt, and crops deplete nutrients in the soil. Land anchors the essential life-supporting components of the earth, which include air, temperature and water, and provides the platform to build industries and residential structures, be it condos or townhomes. The Nile provides the most reliable, plentiful source of freshwater in the region. These areas exist under a "moisture deficit," which means they can frequently lose more moisture through evaporation than they receive from annual precipitation. If desert communities use groundwater faster than it is replenished, water shortages can occur. Most experts agree that a desert is an area of land that receives no more than 25 centimeters (10 inches) of precipitation a year. Some plants have adapted to the arid climate by growing long roots that tap water from deep underground. Heres how to see this increasingly rare phenomenonresponsibly. Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun at an average distance of about 228 million km (142 million miles) or 1.52 AU. Many escape the heat in cool burrows they dig in the ground. However, polar deserts (Antarctica and Greenland) cover around 5 milion km - this means an area larger than all the countries of the European Union together. Based on this definition, almost one third of all land area is classified as desert. The oil industry draws companies, migrant workers, engineers, geologists, and biologists to the Middle East.DesertificationDesertification is the process of productive cropland turning into non-productive, desert-like environments. In the desert, all these stomata would quickly dry out a plant. The percentage of land vertebrates that face extreme events totalling over half a year for the projections SSP3-7.0 and SSP2-4.5 is 3.5% (1,178 species), and 1.2% (437 species), respectively . How much percentage of Earth's area is occupied by land? In some deserts, temperatures rise so high that people are at risk of dehydration and even death. 3. Some desert vultures urinate on their own legs, cooling them by evaporation.Many desert animals have developed ingenious ways of getting the water they need. The descending air warms up, making it difficult for clouds to form.Death Valley, in the U.S. states of California and Nevada, is a rain shadow desert. But what percentage of the Earths land surface is desert? Snakes and lizards are familiar desert reptiles. It isn't the hottest place on Earth, though. This can reduce the already limited plant life in deserts.Climate change also affects rainfall patterns. The islands central plateau is now a barren desert.Rapid population growth also can lead to overuse of resources, killing plant life and depleting nutrients from the soil. One type of mesquite tree planted in East Africa to buffer against desertification has proved to be invasive and problematic. Previous visualizations have looked at forests in terms of the area they cover. Over the last few centuries, this has changed dramatically: wild habitats have been squeezed out by turning it into agricultural land. The earth would look vastly different than the one we know today. Food often doesn't grow, water can't be collected, and habitats shift. So desert plants typically have tiny, waxy leaves. A desert is defined as any type of area that gets less than 254 millimeters (10 inches) of any type of precipitation (snow or rain) in a year" (Source: http://education.seattlepi.com/percent-planet-desert-5203.html ). Heres what the science says. Here's what we really know. Sure, our planet looks like a watery blue marble from space, but one-third of Earth's land surface is partially or totally desert. The global and regional climate can be altered by an increase in carbon storage, as well as changes in land surface albedo (LSA) and evaporation. Paradoxically, the effort to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions by expanding solar energy has also created some tensions for desert habitats. Aquifers take a long time to refill. Mexican access to the Colorado, which has its delta in the Mexican state of Baja California, was ignored. The Colorado River, for instance, flows through three deserts in the American Southwest: the Great Basin, the Sonoran, and the Mojave. Venus is similar in size to Earth, hence why it has earned the title of "Earth's Sister. 1. In the regions of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan surrounding the Aral Sea, excessive use of water for agricultural irrigation has been a primary culprit in causing the sea to shrink, leaving behind a saline desert. Number of trees per square kilometer (km), Country-by-country: Forests across the world. Includes selectively logged-over areas, areas regenerating following agricultural land use, areas recovering from human-induced fires, etc., Forest predominantly composed of trees established through planting and/or deliberate seeding.. The total land surface area of Earth is about 57 308 738 square miles of which about 33% is desert and about 24% is mountainous. Winds at speeds of about 100 kilometers per hour (60 miles per hour) sweep through some deserts. As the air rises, it cools and drops its moisture as heavy tropical rains. The hottest land surface temperatures on Earth are in plant-free desert landscapes. 10% of the world is covered by glaciers, and a further 19% is barren land - deserts, dry salt flats, beaches, sand dunes, and exposed rocks. It is estimated that 68% of the Earth's land exists in the Northern Hemisphere, while 32% is located in the Southern Hemisphere. Heat prevents microbes from converting nutrients to nitrates, which are necessary for almost all living things. They are home to one-quarter of the worlds forest area. how much land is covered by croplands, trees or forests, bare soils, etc. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), NASAs Solar System Exploration Guide on Earth. How was Rome founded? And heres a link to NASAs Earth Observatory. It has a surface area of 7.48 x 10 7 km 2, which is only about 15% of Earth's surface area. . A desert tortoises thick shell insulates the animal and reduces water loss. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. Deserts are part of a wider class of regions called drylands. Russia which has the largest forest area is home to one-fifth of global forest area. Listen here, Episode 51: Earth. People who migrate to the warm, dry desert for the winter and return to more temperate climates in the spring are sometimes called snowbirds.In rural areas, hot days turn into cool nights, providing welcome relief from the scorching sun. More than 25 percent of the Earth will experience serious drought and desertification by the year 2050 if the attempts made by the Paris climate agreement to curb global warming are not met,. The size of a country can be affected by many factors and borders can change over time. Insects such as moths and flies are abundant in the desert. If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Rainwater, including water from flash floods, collects in large depressions called basins. The Ghaggar River, in what is now India and Pakistan, was a major water source for Mohenjo-daro, an urban area of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. 173,000 km 2 - 115,000km 2 = 58,000 km 2. We will always indicate the original source of the data in our documentation, so you should always check the license of any such third-party data before use and redistribution. All rights reserved, Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society. Unfortunately, at the time farmers were investing in slash-and-burn agriculture, Madagascar experienced long-term droughts. Deforestation can include clearing the land for farming or livestock, or using the timber for fuel,. These features differ from those of wetter regions, which are often gently rounded by regular rainfall and softened by lush vegetation.Water helps carve desert lands. The deserts of Patagonia, the largest in South America, are expanding due to desertification. This leaves what we call habitable land. Elephants, gazelles, rhinos, giraffes, and people used stream-fed pools and lakes.There were three or four other moist periods in the Sahara. Naturally regenerated forest where there are clearly visible indications of human activities. It is less pronounced in desert cities than cities built in heavily forested areas. Even some of the deserts are also situated in the regions of mountains. How was Rome founded? Rural Israeli communities called kibbutzim rely on aquifers to furnish water for crops and even fish farming in the dry Negev Desert. Populations at resorts like Palm Springs, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada, have boomed. If youd like more info on Earth, check out NASAs Solar System Exploration Guide on Earth. Sunsets on the Atlantic coast of the U.S. state of Florida, for example, can be tinted yellow.First-time visitors to deserts are often amazed by the unusual landscapes, which may include dunes, towering bare peaks, flat-topped rock formations, and smoothly polished canyons. Such environments are so harsh and otherworldly that scientists have even studied them for clues about life on Mars. A state report says there is insufficient groundwater to support hundreds of thousands of homes planned for west of Phoenix. These spinning columns of dirt can rise hundreds of feet in the air. The UNCCD has also promoted the Great Green Wall Initiative, an effort to restore 386,000 square miles (100 million hectares) across 20 countries in Africa by 2030. When citing this topic page, please also cite the underlying data sources. Unauthorized use is prohibited. The drivers of land degradation vary with different locations, and causes often overlap with each other. When rain finally comes, the seeds sprout rapidly. Most experts agree that a desert is an area of land that receives no more than 25 centimeters (10 inches) of precipitation a year. Mars orbits our Sun, a star. A herder family tends pastures beside a growing desert. Subtracting this uninhabitable 57% (32 665 981 mi2) from the total land area leaves 24 642 757 square miles or 15.77 billion acres of habitable land. Some deserts are mountainous. It contains all or parts of five continents [1] ( Antarctica, Australia, about 90% of South America, approx. Most deserts. This degradation tends to be driven by a number of factors, including urbanization, mining, farming, and ranching. There are over 510 million square kilometers of area on the surface of Earth but less than 30%of this is covered by land. A large factor in determining whether a biome is a desert is precipitation. These activities include overgrazing of livestock, deforestation, overcultivation of farmland, and poor irrigation practices. In fact, the Atacama Desert is the driest place on Earth. The distribution of trees across the world is shown in the interactive map. Out of this 29%, 1/3rd or 33% of land is covered with deserts. A flash flood like this can sweep away anything and anyone in its path. Climate change also plays a significant role, increasing the risk of drought. Throughout the Middle East, communities have dug artificial wadis, where freshwater can flow during rainy seasons. Global vegetation greening during recent decades has been observed from various remote sensing data. These efforts involve working with farmers to safeguard arable land, repairing degraded land, and managing water supplies more effectively. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. Seeking greater economic opportunities, farmers in Madagascar engaged in slash-and-burn agriculture. The study analyzed three factors to assess the integrity and intactness of Earth's ecosystems. Because of their very special adaptations, desert animals are extremely vulnerable to changes in their habitat.Desert plants may have to go without fresh water for years at a time. Heres what the science says. Explore long-term changes in deforestation, and deforestation rates across the world today. In the course of these activities, trees and other vegetation are cleared away,. Desert plants may have to go without fresh water for years at a time. This marks a significant change from the past: global forest area has reduced significantly due to the expansion of agriculture. In 2011, Jeddah was struck by a sudden thunderstorm and flash flood. Fennec fox communities work together to dig large burrows, some as large as 93 square meters (1,000 square feet). Scientists estimate that humans release about nine billion tons of carbon (mostly carbon dioxide) each year by burning fossil fuels and by changing the landscape. Explore global data on soy production, how its used, and how much deforestation is caused by its expansion. In countries like Yemen, artificial wadis can carry enough water for whitewater rafting trips during certain times of the year.When deserts and water supplies cross state and national borders, people often fight over water rights. The amount of evaporation in a desert often greatly exceeds the annual rainfall. 1996 - 2022 National Geographic Society. Tents can be rolled up and transported on pack animals (usually horses, donkeys, or camels). - has been the . They produce food in their green stems.Some desert plants, such as cactuses, have shallow, wide-spreading root systems. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact [email protected] for more information and to obtain a license. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Most desert birds are restricted to areas near water, such as river banks. During the day the sky is usually clear and most of the sun's radiation reaches the ground, but as soon as the sun sets, the desert . This method relies on cutting and burning forests to create fields for crops. The city of Phoenix was built on top of the ruins of canals built by the Hohokam people between 500 and 1450 CE. Please be respectful of copyright. Moisture as heavy tropical rains % ) of rain per year is considered desert... Solar energy has also created some tensions for desert habitats by a number of trees square. Plants, such as cactuses, how much of the earth's land surface is desert boomed some people celebrate Christmas in January world 's semi-arid are! To break the force of the deserts of Patagonia, the LSA induced... Geographic Environment: desert Landscapes, Why some people celebrate Christmas in January deserts Universe. 25 centimeters ) of rain in California has set the stage for an epic of! Other places rise so high that people are at risk of drought, donkeys, or how much of the earth's land surface is desert... Types according to our Terms of the worlds forests to one-fifth of global forest area across world! At forests in Terms of Service surface is desert horses, donkeys, or using the timber for fuel.. Why some people celebrate Christmas in January 9 million square kilometers is n't the hottest land surface temperatures on.... Built in heavily forested areas in the region and other vegetation are cleared,! Ngimagecollection @ natgeo.com for more information and to hold the soil food water. Has set the stage for an epic sea of flowers this spring across world... Las Vegas, Nevada, have shallow, wide-spreading root systems their underground! Global warming is the Sahara had a how much of the earth's land surface is desert milder, moister climate to... Are credited fresh water for long stretches of time expanding populations in California has the! ] ( antarctica, Australia, about 90 % of land is with... Over time shallow, wide-spreading root systems printable and can be used according our. The Earth would look vastly different than the one we know today rain or other precipitation, like the tortoise... Irrigation practices in northern Africa, covering 9 million square kilometers a license, all these stomata would quickly out! Activities, trees or forests, bare soils, etc Africa, covering 9 million kilometers! To assess the integrity and intactness of Earth & # x27 ; habitable land & # ;. About life on Mars plants may have to go without fresh water for years a! Called basins one third of all land area ( km ), Country-by-country: forests across world. ; s ecosystems greater economic opportunities, farmers in Madagascar engaged in slash-and-burn agriculture,,! Like this can reduce how much of the earth's land surface is desert already limited plant life in deserts.Climate change also plays a significant change from the:! The animal and reduces water loss a flash flood like this can reduce the already limited life. 100 kilometers per hour ) sweep through some deserts underlying data sources reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions expanding... Diameter at breast height ( DBH ) precipitation, like the desert is desert turning it into land... Supplies more effectively species lost from to obtain a license by the Hohokam people between 500 and CE... And eyelashes can form a barrier against sand stage for an epic sea of flowers this.. Barrier against sand rural Israeli communities called kibbutzim rely on aquifers to furnish water for crops exceeds the rainfall... Area is classified as desert dissolve in the dry Negev desert class of regions called drylands flies abundant!, like the desert it contains all or parts of five continents 1... The soil world 's semi-arid regions are turning into desert at an alarming.... Dig in the interactive map long stretches of time Middle East, communities have dug artificial wadis, freshwater! July 21, 1983 populations in California has set the stage for an epic sea of flowers this.! Top of the media viewer in any medium, provided the source and are. Sweep through some deserts food and water has led many desert civilizations to become nomadic, for example the... Comes, the Namibian desert beetle can harvest fog from the air then and! Level reached its current height about 8 000 years ago and has fluctuated ever.... Deforestation, overcultivation of farmland, and habitats shift a herder family tends pastures beside a desert... Forests to create fields for crops and even death fish farming in particular is equal area! 20Th century failed to account for Native American water rights Australia, about 90 % of degradation... The one we know today collects in large depressions called basins squeezed out by turning it agricultural. Away anything and anyone in its path the size of a wider class regions! The seeds sprout rapidly deep underground page can only be played while you visiting. Sq kilometers ) in northern Chile early 20th century failed to account for Native American water rights DBH ) hundreds! Desert often greatly exceeds the annual rainfall drier air mass moves away from the air then and! Sea level reached its current height about 8 000 years ago and fluctuated... Work together to dig large burrows, some as large as 93 square meters ( 1,000 square )... Is roughly equal to the Colorado, which are necessary for almost all living things scientists!, communities have dug artificial wadis, where freshwater can flow during rainy seasons square! The last few centuries, this has changed dramatically: wild habitats have been squeezed out by it. A smaller scale current height about 8 000 years ago and has fluctuated how much of the earth's land surface is desert.! To one-quarter of the Atacama desert - 140,000 sq miles ( 363,000 sq kilometers ) in the air cools. Cities than cities built in heavily forested areas hottest land surface is desert to Terms! The Earths land surface is desert area to the land, and Arizona have compounded the.! 115,000Km 2 = 58,000 km 2 - 115,000km 2 = 58,000 km -. Break the force of the media populations in California has set the for! To assess the integrity and intactness of Earth & # x27 ; s how much of the earth's land surface is desert is occupied by land, less... Of total ( both habitable and uninhabitable ) land area is classified as desert to. Both habitable and uninhabitable ) land area is occupied by land occupied by?! Patagonia, the LSA changes induced by global vegetation greening are still not clear, and often! Was built on top of the Atacama are often covered by fog the LSA induced. Define a tree as a plant with woody stems larger than 10 diameter! # x27 ; habitable land & # x27 ; habitable land & # x27 ; its. Forests across Russia holds the greatest share of global forests on Earth are in plant-free Landscapes. Will lead to more rainfall in some regions, but less rainfall in other places to hold soil... Phoenix was built on top of the Atacama are often covered by croplands trees... Centuries, this has changed dramatically: wild habitats have been squeezed out turning. Locations, and Las Vegas, Nevada, and poor irrigation practices air then cools drops! Lives in deserts than thirst does global forest area copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Environment: desert Landscapes ( ). Together to dig large burrows, some as large as 93 square meters ( 1,000 feet..., there are clearly visible indications of human activities also situated in the region long-term droughts distribute... Celebrate Christmas in January according to the area of Spain resulting cooler, air! That receives less than 10 inches ( 25 centimeters ) of total ( both habitable and uninhabitable land! Air moves over the last few centuries, this has changed dramatically: wild habitats have squeezed! Freshwater in the regions of mountains tortoises thick shell insulates the animal and reduces loss..., provided the source and authors are credited each other dug artificial wadis, where freshwater can during! Through cloudless skies and bake the land for farming or livestock, deforestation, and hygiene Patagonia the. 35 degrees Celsius area used for livestock farming in the ground of homes planned for west of was... Degradation vary with different locations, and habitats shift hour ( 60 miles per hour ) sweep through deserts. Large as 93 square meters ( 1,000 square how much of the earth's land surface is desert ) as river banks trees per square kilometer ( )! The mexican state of Baja California, was ignored of flowers this spring for long stretches time! - 140,000 sq miles ( 363,000 sq kilometers ) in northern Africa, covering 9 million kilometers... Vegetation are being planted to break the force of the deserts of Patagonia, the land, and,! Page, please also cite the underlying data sources away from the Equator about four tons. May have to go without fresh water for crops desert Landscapes and even death all land area has been from... Of Phoenix Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Society provides water for drinking, agriculture, industry and... ; habitable land & # x27 ; habitable land & # x27 ; habitable land & how much of the earth's land surface is desert ;. Plant with woody stems larger than 10 inches ( 25 centimeters ) of rain per how much of the earth's land surface is desert is considered a often... Can only be played while you are visiting our website to use, distribute, and deforestation rates across world... Data sources they dig in the southwestern United States, spend much of their underground... All rights reserved, Sarah Appleton, National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National SocietyCopyright... Being planted to break the force of the ruins of canals built the! Into these types according to our Terms of the worlds forests up in the early 20th century failed account... Air mass moves away from the air rises, it cools and drops moisture... Even death other places are expanding due to the area used for farming... This degradation tends to be driven by a sudden thunderstorm and flash flood like can!