Desert designates an uninhabited area, and where the conditions are not favorable to the development of any life.
These conditions may vary a lot, but are most of the time linked to weather conditions: polar, hot, too dry etc...

Besides the quasi absence of life, what defines a desert is its degree of aridity. The insufficient annual rainfall rate is the main criteria of desertification. The lack of water makes the land infertile and not suitable for any plantation.

Desert also defines an area where the human density is very low, and it varies along the areas of the world. For instance, in France an area is considered as deserted when there are less than 20 inhabitants per square kilometer, whereas in the world, an area is deserted under 5 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Unlike the received idea, the biggest desert on the world is not the Sahara, but the Antarctic with a surface of 14 millions square kilometers (even larger than the whole Europe). The famous African desert holds all the same the second place with 8,6 millions square kilometers.
The Gobi desert, the Sahel desert and Death Valley national park are some of the most famous deserts in the world.

Desert has always intrigued men : it was a source of inspiration for several authors such as Rimbaud or Clezio, and has been the witness of essential historical events such as the Hebrew exodus headed by Moses during 40 years old, or the reign of the Egyptian civilization.