Desert South America is a region of the continent that is home to some of the world's most arid and inhospitable landscapes. The SAHARA, located in North Africa, is the largest desert in the world and covers an area of 3.5 million square miles. The Negev, located in Israel, is the second largest desert in the world and covers an area of 4, 800 square miles. The ANDES, located in South America, is the longest mountain range in the world and stretches for 4, 500 miles along the western coast of the continent. Chile, located in South America, is home to the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world.