| Date: |
Monday, January 1, 2001
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| Question/Topic: |
Deserts
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| Answer/Pointer: |
The word "desert" makes many people think of shriveled cacti, sun-scorched sand dunes, and shimmering waves of heat. Yet despite its barren
appearance, the desert is a fascinating place filled with unusual beauty and inhabited by an amazing variety of plants and animals.
FAST FACTS:
Five largest: Sahara, Australian, Arabian, Gobi, Kalahari
Desert coverage: 20% of the earth's land surface
Average annual rainfall: Less than 10 inches (25.4 cm)
Highest recorded temperature: 136.4 degrees F (58 degrees C) in the Sahara Desert
World's driest region: Atacama Desert in Chile and Peru
Driest region in the U.S.: Death Valley
Annual increase in desert regions: 2700 sq. miles (7830 sq. km.)
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| Librarian: |
LCLCPL
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| Comments: |
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