Which one among the following is the largest temperate desert of the world ?

Temperate deserts, also known as cold winter deserts, are located in mid-latitude regions, often in the rain-shadow of high mountain ranges or deep within continental interiors [1]. Among the options provided, the Patagonian Desert is the largest temperate desert. It covers approximately 673,000 square kilometers in Argentina and Chile, ranking as the 8th largest desert globally. While the Gobi Desert is the largest temperate desert in the world overall [1], it is not listed among the options. Comparing the provided choices: the Patagonian Desert (~673,000 sq km) is significantly larger than the Taklamakan Desert (~337,000 sq km), the Turkmen (Karakum) Desert (~350,000 sq km), and the Iranian deserts (Dasht-e Kavir and Lut), which are often classified as subtropical or hot deserts [2][t2]. Therefore, the Patagonian Desert is the correct choice.

Sources

1. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 30: Climatic Regions > Mid-Latitude Desert Climate (BWk: B – Dry, W – Desert, k – high latitude) > p. 441
2. [2] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > Cold Desert Biome > p. 18