Where is the Great Victoria Desert Located?

Question

Vedantu Content Team · Accepted Answer

Answer: Australia

Explanation:

The Great Victoria Desert is located in Australia, specifically covering a vast area across the southern and western parts of the continent. This expansive desert stretches across multiple Australian states, primarily covering portions of Western Australia and South Australia.

Named after Queen Victoria, this desert is one of Australia's largest deserts, covering approximately 348,750 square kilometers (134,650 square miles). The Great Victoria Desert is positioned between the more famous Gibson Desert to the north and the Nullarbor Plain to the south, making it a significant geographical feature in Australia's interior landscape.

The desert's location places it in what geographers call the Australian continental interior, characterized by arid and semi-arid conditions. It extends roughly from longitude 123°E to 132°E and from latitude 28°S to 32°S, encompassing areas that are hundreds of kilometers from the nearest coastline.

Key geographical boundaries of the Great Victoria Desert include the city of Kalgoorlie to the west in Western Australia and extends eastward toward the Gawler Ranges in South Australia. The desert's southern boundary approaches the famous Eyre Highway, which connects Perth and Adelaide across the Nullarbor Plain.

This desert forms part of Australia's Great Western Woodlands region and is notable for its unique ecosystem that includes diverse plant species adapted to harsh, dry conditions. The landscape consists primarily of red sandy soils, scattered shrublands, and occasional rocky outcrops, typical of Australia's interior desert regions.

The Great Victoria Desert's location makes it relatively remote and sparsely populated, with very few permanent settlements within its boundaries. Its position in Australia's continental interior contributes to the extreme temperature variations and low rainfall patterns characteristic of this region, making it one of the most challenging environments on the Australian continent.