Here are some facts about the Gobi Desert.
- The Gobi Desert is the largest desert region located in Asia, spanning the north / northwestern part of China and the south of Mongolia. The desert is surrounded by the Altai Mountains and the grasslands of Mongolia. It is the fifth largest desert in the world.
- The temperatures in the Gobi Desert fluctuate rapidly. It can go from being 25 degrees F to -30 degrees F within a few days. The temperatures can go as high as 122 degrees F and as low as -40 degrees F.
- Although snowfall in the Gobi Desert is rare, the dunes do get covered in snow from time to time.
- Over 45 different species of animals and birds live in the Gobi desert, including: golden eagles, snow leopards, camels, bears and gazelles.
- The Gobi desert covers an area of approximately 500,000 square miles.
- Wind speeds in the desert can get up to 85 miles an hour.
- There are 400 different species of plants in the Gobi Desert.
- The Gobi Desert is made up of five separate eco-systems. They are: the Eastern Gobi Desert Steppe, the Gobi Lakes Valley Desert Steppe, the Junngar Basin Semi-Desert, the Alashan Plateau Semi-Desert, and the Tian Shan Range.
- The Gobi desert is expanding approximately 1390 square miles over the southern grasslands of China every year.
- The first dinosuar eggs to be discovered were found in the Gobi Desert.
- The Gobi desert is growing by more than 1300 square miles every year, expanding into the southern grasslands of China. This process of desertification has worried the Chinese government and they are planting new forests to try and halt the spread of the Gobi. The forest barrier is sometimes called the Green Wall of China.
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