system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Why is the Sahara a desert?

What geographic factors make such a large area of land so destitute? Why are other places on similar latitudes not as arid?
gpt
Actually, places in similar latitudes (which is called the subtropical ridge) are typically more arid than other regions in the world. For example, the Middle East (Arabian desert) lies at similar latitudes, while in the southern hemisphere, Australia is well known for its dry climate.

There are of course other local factors that will determine the aridity of a particular location. For example, even though India is in similar latitudes, the monsoon seasons, driven largely by the land/sea seasonal contrast between both hemispheres (think: land/sea breezes at coasts), bring substantial rainfall to what may otherwise be a dry latitude.