Mojave Desert
| Mojave Desert Hayyikwiir Mat'aar (Mohave) Desierto de Mojave (Spanish) | |
|---|---|
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley | |
Location within North America | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Nearctic |
| Biome | Deserts and xeric shrublands |
| Borders | |
| Bird species | 230 |
| Mammal species | 98 |
| Geography | |
| Area | 81,000 km2 (31,000 sq mi) |
| Country | United States |
| States | |
| Coordinates | 35°N 116°W / 35°N 116°W |
| Rivers | Colorado River, Mojave River |
| Climate type | Cold desert (BWk) and hot desert (BWh) |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | Relatively Stable/Intact |
The Mojave Desert (/moʊˈhɑːvi, mə-/ ⓘ; Mohave: Hayikwiir Mat'aar; Spanish: Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the southern Sierra Nevada mountains and Transverse Ranges in the Southwestern United States. Named for the indigenous Mohave people, it is located primarily in southeastern California and southwestern Nevada, with small portions extending into Arizona and Utah.
The Mojave Desert, together with the Sonoran, Chihuahuan, and Great Basin deserts, form a larger North American desert. Of these, the Mojave is the smallest and driest. It displays typical basin and range topography, generally having a pattern of a series of parallel mountain ranges and valleys. It is also the site of Death Valley, which is the lowest elevation in North America. The Mojave Desert is often colloquially called the "high desert", as most of it lies between 2,000 and 4,000 feet (610 and 1,220 m). It supports a diversity of flora and fauna.
The 54,000 sq mi (140,000 km2) desert supports a number of human activities, including recreation, ranching, and military training. The Mojave Desert also contains various silver, tungsten, iron and gold deposits.: 124
The spelling Mojave originates from the Spanish language, while the spelling Mohave comes from modern English. Both are used today, although the Mojave Tribal Nation officially uses the spelling Mojave, which is a shortened form of Hamakhaave, an endonym in their native language, meaning "beside the water".