Between 1994 and 2023, about 2% of the planet’s land area breached this threshold for adults under 60. For older adults, more than 20% of the Earth’s surface crossed this line. But as ...

As Earth continues to warm, more and more of the planet is becoming dry. A 2024 UN report found that in the last three decades, over three-fourths of all the world's land became drier than it had been ...

Data source: UN CBD NBSAPs and national targets. Land area data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. The analysis shows that, collectively, more than one-third of the Earth’s land area is ...

Deserts cover more than one-fifth of the Earth's land area, and they are found on every continent. A place that receives less than 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain per year is considered a desert.