A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is the climate of a region that receives precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-arid climates, depending on variables such as temperature, and they give rise to different biomes.

What is an example of a semi-desert?

Semi-arid deserts are found in North America, Greenland, Europe, and Asia. Coastal deserts are a bit more humid than other types of deserts. Although heavy fogs blow in from the coast, rainfall is still rare. The Atacama Desert of Chile in South America is an example of a coastal desert.

What is the difference between a desert and a semi-desert?

The main difference between a true desert and a semi-desert is that a semi-desert receives at least twice as much rain per year as a true desert. ... Although deserts are thought to hold very little life, there is in fact a great diversity of both plants animals that inhabit desert regions.