The Gobi Desert

The Gobi Desert is one of the largest deserts in the world. It covers parts of northern China and southern Mongolia. Unlike hot sandy deserts, the Gobi is mostly rocky and very cold in winter. Camels, snow leopards, and wild horses live here.

A Cold Desert

The Gobi is called a cold desert because it gets icy in winter. Snow sometimes falls on its sand dunes. Temperatures can drop far below freezing. In summer, the days can be very hot.

Sandy dunes roll across the huge Gobi Desert.
Sandy dunes roll across the huge Gobi Desert. (TheDrive / Wikimedia Commons)

Amazing Discoveries

Scientists love the Gobi Desert because of its fossils. Many dinosaur bones and even dinosaur eggs have been found here. The first fossil dinosaur nest was found in the Gobi in 1923. These finds help us learn about life long ago.

Fun Facts

  • The Gobi grows bigger every year as more land turns to desert.
  • Wild Bactrian camels with two humps live in the Gobi.
  • The name 'Gobi' means 'waterless place' in Mongolian.

Did You Know?

Part of the famous Silk Road trade route crossed the Gobi Desert long ago.