This habitat is typified by its dry or arid region and normally receives less than 250mm of rain a year. Plants have adapted to this habitat by being able to store water and are generally low to the ground. Many deserts are just bare soil. Semi-desert areas are included in this category.

Soils are generally course due to the lack of chemical weathering prelevant in other habitats due to the lack of precipitation. Deserts exist near coastal areas and into interior regions. Temperatures range very dramatically from night to day and from summer and winter with temperatures in summer often over 45°C.

Below you will find what can be seen as desert National Parks. They may form part of the National Park or make up the whole National Park.

South Africa	Augrabies Falls (Semi-Desert)
	Camdeboo (Semi-Desert)
	Karoo (Semi-Desert)
	Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
	Mapungubwe (Semi-Desert)
	Mokala (Semi-Desert)
	Mountain Zebra (Semi-Desert)
	Namaqua (Semi Desert)
	Tankwa Karoo (Semi Desert)
	|Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park (Desert)

*This work is ongoing, so please check back from time to time.

*Classifying areas of land into categories is difficult and can be very complex. For ease I have only selected seven major habitats to classify National Parks into and apologise for generalising the classification system. If you are looking to expand your knowledge you can look here for more information.