The desert is a difficult place in which to live. Yet, 13 percent of the world's people live in desert habitats. Spectacular photography highlights this series about the world's major desert systems. Each title focuses on one desert, describing its topography, climate, plant and animal life, unique geographical features, human cultures, and the problems facing the region. The vast, sandy Great Victoria Desert in Australia receives little rain, yet blooms with a variety of plants. One of ten deserts included in the Australian Outback, the Great Victoria has been home to a number of indigenous peoples for thousands of years. The area's unique animal species such as the red kangaroo and the dingo have had to be tough and adaptable to survive here. Not only has the region faced such devastating problems as the introduction of non-native species of animals, it has also been used in modern times for mining and testing of atomic bombs.

Book jacket.