The largest desert in the western hemisphere is the Sahara Desert. Stretching across North Africa, it covers an area of approximately 3.6 million square miles. It’s known for its extreme climate, characterized by high temperatures, arid conditions, and sparse vegetation. Separated from the Americas by the Atlantic Ocean, the Sahara is contrasted by the coastal desolate areas in the west, like the Atacama Desert in Chile, which is also significant but smaller in geographical extent compared to the Sahara.