When we think of Australia, we often picture a massive sandbox teeming with rugged wilderness. But what’s the actual deal with the Great Down Under? Is it mostly desert, or do we have other goodies in the bag?
Is most of Australia deserts? What percentage of Australia is desert?
The reality is, only a chunk of Australia’s terrain (roughly 35%) qualifies as desert or semi-arid. The likes of Great Victoria, Simpson, and Great Sandy deserts, as well as Nullarbor Plain, fall under this category. The remaining 65% showcases a mix of vegetation types, including rainforests, grasslands, wetlands, and temperate forests.
So, what gives with Australia’s desert reputation? Well, for one, its location in the Southern Hemisphere is a major factor. The east-to-west blowing winds in this region prevent much of the moisture from reaching the landmass. This makes for a dry climate that hampers vegetation growth.
Why is so much of Australia desert?
So what exactly causes so much of Australia to be a desert? That’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to unraveling the mystery of Australia’s desert landscape. Picture this: millions of years ago, Gondwana, the supercontinent that was Australia’s ancestral home, broke apart, creating a cacophony of mountains and valleys.
As Australia drifted away from the pack, the central region became a hotbed of aridity, where even the hardiest of vegetation struggled to survive. Fast forward to the present day, and you’re left with an unforgiving, scorching desert terrain, where the unrelenting heat and lack of moisture have caused the land to buckle and fold in on itself.
Areas of Australian mainland deserts
| State/Territory | Name | Size (km2) | Australia (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| WA, SA | Great Victoria | 348 750 | 4.5 |
| WA | Great Sandy | 267 250 | 3.5 |
| WA, NT | Tanami | 184 500 | 2.4 |
| NT, QLD, SA | Simpson | 176 500 | 2.3 |
| WA | Gibson | 156 000 | 2.0 |
| WA | Little Sandy | 111 500 | 1.5 |
| SA, QLD, NSW | Strzelecki | 80 250 | 1.0 |
| SA, QLD, NSW | Sturt Stony | 29 750 | 0.3 |
| SA | Tirari | 15 250 | 0.2 |
| SA | Pedirka | 1 250 | less than 0.1 |
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