Table of Contents
Where are most deserts found?
Most of the world’s deserts are located near 30 degrees north latitude and 30 degrees south latitude, where the heated equatorial air begins to descend. The descending air is dense and begins to warm again, evaporating large amounts of water from the land surface.
Where do deserts tend to be located?
Deserts cover around 20% of the Earth and are on every continent. They are mainly found around 30 to 50 degrees latitude, called the mid-latitudes. These areas are about halfway between the equator and the north and south poles. Remember that moist, hot air always rises from the equator.
Why are most of the world’s deserts located?
Answer: Most of the worlds deserts are located in the western margins of continents in the subtropics because the prevailing winds in the tropics are tropical easterly winds. The tropical easterly winds become dry by the time they reach the western margins of the continents and so they bring no rainfall.
Where are deserts located in North America?
The continent’s major deserts are associated with the intermontane Basin and Range Province of the western United States, northern Mexico, and the Colorado Plateau region of northern Arizona, southwestern Colorado, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah.
Why are deserts on the west side?
We observe that most of the deserts are on the western sides of the continents in the subtropics. These are the results of the prevailing easterly winds of the tropics, which are the trade winds. These winds become dry when they reach the western sides of the continents, and hence don’t bring any rain with them.
Why are deserts found in western sides?
Some deserts are found on the western edges of continents. They are caused by cold ocean currents, which run along the coast. They cool the air and make it harder for the air to hold moisture. Some deserts form in the rain shadow of mountains, eg the Atacama Desert is located in the rain shadow of the Andes.
Where is the desert in the United States?
The Mojave Desert is located in the southwest United States in California, Nevada, and Arizona. It sits between the Great Basin Desert to the north and the Sonoran Desert to the south.