This list of North American deserts identifies areas of the continent which receive less than 10 in (250 mm) annual precipitation.
There are four major hot and dry deserts in North America, all located in the western United States and northern Mexico. These are:
- The Chihuahuan Desert – the largest desert in North America, located in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico
- The Sonoran Desert – a desert located in the southwestern United States and northwest Mexico. It is the second largest desert in North America
- The Great Basin Desert – located within the Great Basin, it is commonly mistaken as the largest desert in North America due to confusion between the area of the Great Basin and the area of the Great Basin Desert.
- The Mojave Desert – the hottest desert in North America, located primarily in southeastern California
Additionally, there are smaller deserts within the Columbia Plateau/Columbia Basin, the Snake River Plain, and the Colorado Plateau regions.
Canada has a few small "deserts" such as the Nk'mip Desert, which is actually shrub steppe. Another "desert" near Carcross, Yukon is commonly called a desert, but it is not a true desert, rather an area of northern sand dunes.
Read more about List Of North American Deserts: Full Listing
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