The continent home to the majority of the world's deserts is Africa. This continent contains some of the largest deserts globally, including the Sahara Desert, which is the largest hot desert on the planet. The Sahara spans several countries in North Africa and covers an area of approximately 9.2 million square kilometers (3.6 million square miles). Other significant deserts in Africa include the Kalahari and Namib deserts. African deserts vary widely in climate and landscape, hosting unique flora and fauna that have adapted to thrive in arid conditions, contributing to Earth's ecological diversity.