Sahara
The Sahara is a vast desert region in North Africa, characterised by arid climate and extensive sand dunes.
Also known as: Sahara Desert
How big is it?
9,200,000 km² in area
Approximate desert area · approximate
Typical recorded range: 8,800,000 km² to 9,400,000 km².
A little perspective
About 1.2 times the area of Australia.
Australia: Australia is a country and continent located between the Indian and Pacific Oceans in the Southern Hemisphere.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
Sahara
The Sahara covers about 9.2 million km² under a broad geographic convention. Desert margins shift and definitions differ; the equal-area symbol is not a boundary map.
Encyclopaedia Britannica — Sahara
The marked approximate desert area is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Australia
A rounded 7,692,024 km² country-area anchor.
Defined examples — our methodology
The marked area is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
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Why this measurement?
Why we use 9,200,000 km²
For comparison, this page uses approximate desert area. This is labelled approximate; the central value is useful for comparison, while real values or measurement solutions can vary. The recorded range is 8,800,000 km² to 9,400,000 km².
The Sahara covers about 9.2 million km² under a broad geographic convention. Desert margins shift and definitions differ; the equal-area symbol is not a boundary map.
The identifying illustration and the numerical comparison remain separate. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
Sahara dimensions and measurements
| Property | Selected value | Recorded range | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9,200,000 km² | 8,800,000 km² to 9,400,000 km² | approximate |
Around this scale
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These links use compatible area records, ordered around the selected value.
Nearest lower value · PlacesAmazon rainforest5,500,000 km²The Amazon rainforest is a dense tropical forest in South America, home to a rich diversity of plant and animal life.
Around the same scale · PlacesAustralia7,692,000 km²Australia is a country and continent located between the Indian and Pacific Oceans in the Southern Hemisphere.
Nearest higher value · SpaceEris17,000,000 km²Eris is a dwarf planet in the scattered disc region beyond Neptune, composed of rock and ice.Sources and method
Want to check the number?
The source records and measurement method remain available for inspection.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — SaharaApproximate desert area under a broad geographic convention.
There’s always another scale
Follow your curiosity.
PlacesAfrica30,370,000 km²Africa is a continent south of Europe, made up of over 50 countries with diverse climates and landscapes.PlacesAmazon rainforest5,500,000 km²The Amazon rainforest is a dense tropical forest in South America, home to a rich diversity of plant and animal life.PlacesAustralia7,692,000 km²Australia is a country and continent located between the Indian and Pacific Oceans in the Southern Hemisphere.
SpacePluto2,377 kmPluto is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt, composed of rock and ice and orbiting the Sun.
SpaceCharon1,212 kmCharon is a natural satellite of Pluto, composed mainly of rock and water ice.SpaceEris2,326 kmEris is a dwarf planet in the scattered disc region beyond Neptune, composed of rock and ice.
SpaceTriton2,705 kmTriton is a natural satellite of Neptune, with a retrograde orbit and a surface of frozen nitrogen.
PlacesGreenland2,166,000 km²Greenland is a large Arctic island northeast of Canada, mostly covered by an ice sheet and governed as an autonomous territory within Denmark.