From White to Multi-Colored: World's Most Fascinating Deserts

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Deserts occupy about one fifth of the land surface on Earth. People mostly think of deserts as highly hot places, however, some of them are quite cold. Interestingly, the Antarctic Polar Desert, the biggest in the world, is larger than the combined size of the Gobi Desert, the Arabian Desert, and the Sahara Desert.
There is something mysterious about these desert sceneries that defy imagination and fascinate by their pristine and desolate beauty. These Mars-like landscapes tend to inspire artists, writers, musicians and filmmakers to capture this natural splendor and make people recognize its value.

The Sahara Desert, probably the first that comes to one's mind when asked about a desert landscape, is the largest hot desert on the planet located in northern Africa. Spanning 9.1 million square kilometers, the Sahara partially occupies the territory of more than ten countries and it continues to grow.

Apart from traditionally perceived as desert places comprised of fine grains of sand and hot temperatures, there are those with almost no sand, with rock and clay formations, or salt marshes.
For example, the White Desert in Egypt is a site of large white chalk rock formations, created through erosion by wind and sand. This national park also includes cliffs, sand dunes, as well as oases.
Another example is the Painted Desert, which is located in the United States, Arizona. Running from the east end of Grand Canyon National Park and southeast into Petrified Forest National Park, the desert is composed of stratified layers of siltstone, mudstone, and shale. It is known for its varied colors, ranging from red to shades of lavender.
Take a look at Sputnik's gallery of the world's most spectacular yet desolate places that capture imagination by their unbelievable diversity!
© Sputnik . Igor Mikhalev

Members of the expedition of the Polish traveler Jacek Palkiewicz to the Sahara Desert.

Members of the expedition of the Polish traveler Jacek Palkiewicz to the Sahara Desert. - Sputnik Africa
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Members of the expedition of the Polish traveler Jacek Palkiewicz to the Sahara Desert.

© Sputnik . Andrey Maximov

Deadvlei in the Namib Desert in Namibia.

Deadvlei in the Namib Desert in Namibia. - Sputnik Africa
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Deadvlei in the Namib Desert in Namibia.

CC BY 4.0 / Vyacheslav Argenberg (cropped image) / Thar Desert, India, Water well

The Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India. The Thar desert forms a natural boundary between India and Pakistan.

The Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India. The Thar desert forms a natural boundary between India and Pakistan.  - Sputnik Africa
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The Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India. The Thar desert forms a natural boundary between India and Pakistan.

© iStock.com / bpperry

Purple mountain hill, the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona.

Purple mountain hill, the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona. - Sputnik Africa
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Purple mountain hill, the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona.

CC0 / Ysjyd / White desert

Rock formation at the White Desert, Egypt.

Rock formation at the White Desert, Egypt. - Sputnik Africa
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Rock formation at the White Desert, Egypt.

© AFP 2024 Thomas Coex

A camel is seen in the Judaean desert near the West Bank village of Nabi Musa, between Jerusalem and Jericho on January 5, 2019.

A camel is seen in the Judaean desert near the West Bank village of Nabi Musa, between Jerusalem and Jericho on January 5, 2019. - Sputnik Africa
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A camel is seen in the Judaean desert near the West Bank village of Nabi Musa, between Jerusalem and Jericho on January 5, 2019.

CC BY-SA 3.0 / Andrzej Kulka / Pinnacles04

The Pinnacles Desert, Western Australia.

The Pinnacles Desert, Western Australia.  - Sputnik Africa
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The Pinnacles Desert, Western Australia.

© AFP 2024 Jack Guez

A couple of astronauts from a team from Europe and Israel walk in spacesuits during a training mission for planet Mars at a site that simulates an off-site station at the Ramon Crater in Mitzpe Ramon in Israel's southern Negev desert on October 10, 2021.

A couple of astronauts from a team from Europe and Israel walk in spacesuits during a training mission for planet Mars at a site that simulates an off-site station at the Ramon Crater in Mitzpe Ramon in Israel's southern Negev desert on October 10, 2021.  - Sputnik Africa
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A couple of astronauts from a team from Europe and Israel walk in spacesuits during a training mission for planet Mars at a site that simulates an off-site station at the Ramon Crater in Mitzpe Ramon in Israel's southern Negev desert on October 10, 2021.

CC BY 2.0 / Pedro Szekely / Arbol de Piedra, BoliviaThe Arbol de Piedra (Stone Tree) is a volcanic rock formation in the Desierto Siloli in Bolivia. The rock is unique because it resembles a tree. The Desierto Siloli is considered to be part of the Atacama Desert in neighboring Chile.
Пустыня Атакама в Боливии - Sputnik Africa
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The Arbol de Piedra (Stone Tree) is a volcanic rock formation in the Desierto Siloli in Bolivia. The rock is unique because it resembles a tree. The Desierto Siloli is considered to be part of the Atacama Desert in neighboring Chile.
© Sputnik . Igor Mikhalev

General view of the Gobi Desert, located in northern China and southern Mongolia.

General view of the Gobi Desert, located in northern China and southern Mongolia. - Sputnik Africa
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General view of the Gobi Desert, located in northern China and southern Mongolia.

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